Right Where I Belong
by RubyPearl
Summary: They had a bumpy road but they still love each other. Lily and James reconnect six months after graduating Hogwarts. Will their love be strong enough to survive the war going on?
1. Chapter One

_Okay everyone, I'll keep this short and sweet. This is my newest and final Harry Potter Fan Fiction. I have decided that I need to focus more on my original works if I ever hope to get them published. I was sitting there the other night and decided that this was going to be my final HPFF and a little part of me died inside. I've had an absolute blast the past five years writing Lily, James, Sirius and Remus. Further into the story, you will notice some things that kind of go against cannon, but again, this is my story, so I can do as I please but I think I do a pretty good job of keeping the integrity of this wonderful story that J.K Rowling has blessed us with. Anything that you recognize from the books doesn't belong to me, OC and the plot line are mine though. _

Enjoy and leave me lots of reviews.

Much Love, Tara

Chapter One

Lily Evans stood on the near deserted street. Lord Voldemort was growing stronger and his followers were getting ruthless, only a few braved the once crowded street at this time at night. It was more out of paranoia than actual threat that the street was this empty. Being in the Order of Phoenix, an organization that Albus Dumbledore, Lily's former Head Master at Hogwarts, lead, Lily knew better than to be afraid of standing outside the Leaky Cauldron. Lily clutched her cloak closer to her as a light November breeze blew through, chilling her to the bone. Nervousness and excitement ran through her blood. She looked up at the Leaky Cauldron sign, swaying in the wind. She reached her hand into her pocket, pulling out a folded piece of parchment. She unfolded it, reading the loopy handwriting for the twentieth time since the brown owl had delivered the post to her.

_My dearest, Lily,_

_I finished my Auror training last week and I'm back in town and would love to see you. Meet me at the Leaky Cauldron at seven p.m. on Thursday? _

_Sincerely yours, James Potter. _

She placed the parchment back in her pocket, letting out a sigh, her breath showing as it hit the cold air. It was now or never. She took her first step towards the pub. A bell sounded as she stepped into the dimly lit room. She spotted James before he saw her. He was sitting at one of the tables, nursing a drink. _Firewhiskey, no doubt_ she thought to herself. She took a moment to study him. He looked the same as when she'd last seen him in May on their final day at Hogwarts. His jet black hair was still as messy as ever and his hazel eyes shone behind wire frame glasses.

"'Lo, Miss Evans," said the bartender.

The sound of her name caught James' attention. He glanced up, meeting her stunning emerald eyes. She ran a nervous hand through her fiery red hair. After nodding at the bartender, she turned, smiling at James before making her way over to his table. She felt a familiar ease wash over her. That was one thing about James, he could always calm her. Everything with him was so natural, as if it was just meant to be.

"Hi," Lily said, unsure of what else to say.

"Hello," James replied, smiling at her and taking in her features. She was just as beautiful as he remembered, maybe even more so. She had matured in the past six months. So had he. Unfortunately with the Dark Wizard rising, they had been forced to grow up quicker than most. They were no longer protected by Hogwarts so they had to learn to defend themselves.

The bartender, an elderly man with greying hair and tired brown eyes, walked up to them. "Can I get you something, Miss Evans?" he asked. "Firewhiskey, perhaps?"

James grinned at the thought. "Lily doesn't drink Firewhiskey. A Butterbeer, maybe?" his hazel eyes questioned the redhead.

Lily nodded as she shrugged out of her cloak. It was much warmer in here than it was outside. Or maybe it was the way James was looking at her that was causing the heat. Either way, she needed to rid of her cloak as it wasn't needed. The bartender nodded and left the couple to ogle each other. Lily's lips formed into a smile.

"I can't believe you remembered that I don't like Firewhiskey," she commented.

"How could I forget?" James chucked, his own lips forming into a mischievous grin. "I was the one holding your hair back at three in the morning."

"That was a horrible night," Lily said, smiling at the memory. "I couldn't believe I drank so much. It was all Sirius' fault, naturally. He kept forcing me to do shots. I was so hung over the next day. I couldn't concentrate in my classes. I thought McGonagall was going to burn a hole in my brain with the glare she was giving me."

James let out a light laugh. "You could tell how badly she wanted to yell at you when you asked to be excused to go to the bathroom. I think the only thing that stopped her was how pathetic you looked."

Lily giggled, surprised how easily they had fallen into light conversation. Well, actually, she wasn't all that surprised; this was James she was talking to after all. The bartender returned, placing a Butterbeer before Lily. He glanced over at James. "Another Firewhiskey for you, Mister Potter?"

"No thanks, Bill," James declined politely.

Lily took a sip of her drink. She could feel James' eyes on her. He had always been mesmerized by her every movement. She glanced up at him, smiling. "So how as Auror training?" she asked.

James shrugged. "It was all right. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, but I missed everyone. It was hard not being in touch with everyone for that long." There was something in his hazel eyes. He had spoken with such nonchalance but Lily could tell that he was saying he had missed her. A lot. "How are things with the Order?"

"Everything's good. Things are really intense right now. We keep losing members every day but we have people lining up to join. Sirius loves it, he thrives on the excitement. Remus has been trying to reach some of the other werewolves before Voldemort gets to them."

"I went and talked to Dumbledore the second I got back. I'm joining, naturally."

Unsure what else to say, Lily nodded. She noticed James shift nervously. She studied him with her stunning emerald eyes. "Everything okay?" she asked softly.

"Yeah," James insisted though his eyes gave him away. "I actually had a reason for asking you here tonight, Lily." Lily nodded slightly but didn't speak. "I want to apologize, for the way we left things."

Lily shook her head. She should've known that was coming. "An apology isn't necessary, James, we were both at fault. If you remember, I'm the one that broke it off."

"I know, but I just feel like if I had been more supportive, you would've stayed. I should've fought for you, Lily. I should've done more," he insisted, running his finger across the condensation that had formed on his glass.

"There wasn't anything you could've done, James," Lily assured him, meeting his eyes. "I needed some time to think. I was very emotional and had a lot going on. I'm glad you gave me the space I needed."

James shook his head. "I abandoned you, Lily. You needed me more than ever and I just let you walk away and let you be. I hate myself every day for it, Lily. I hate that I did that to you."

"James," Lily said forcefully, grabbing his hand. "You were just as distraught as I was. You had to deal with it just as much as I did. I wasn't the only one that lost someone. It was your child too. You did the best you could under the circumstances."

Lily and James had started dating in October of their Seventh Year at Hogwarts. In January she became pregnant and by February she had lost the child. It was only two weeks after that that Lily had broken up with James, needing some time to herself.

James sighed. "I suppose, but I still feel I should've done more." He met her eyes. "I just want to let you know that I don't blame you, Lily. I never blamed you."

Lily's head dropped slightly. She wished they could change the conversation. This wasn't something she liked to talk about. She didn't like being reminded of her foolishness for breaking up with James. She certainly didn't want to think about the loss of her child. "I know you didn't, James, but I did, and that was enough to tear us apart."

James fixed her with a stern look. "Madam Pomfrey told you that it wasn't your fault. There was nothing you did that caused it. It was just something that happened. It was a terrible tragedy," he finished in a near whisper, willing her to believe him.

Lily nodded, the only thing she could manage as a breath hitched in her throat and she fought back the tears forming in her eyes. Her heart began pounding as James reached up, wiping away the drop. He kept his hand there for a moment longer than was necessary. His strong, calloused hand brought the memories rushing back. He had always been so gentle with her. He always knew just how to touch her, how to comfort her. Except that one time. That one time there was nothing he could do, and it broke both their hearts.

"I love you, Lily," he muttered, his voice hoarse. "I never stopped loving you, do you understand me?"

Lily nodded her head, biting her bottom lip. "I love you too, James." She was desperate for an escape from this conversation. It was all too much. How had she let it get here? This was supposed to be a light evening with drinks between old friends, old lovers. She supposed she shouldn't have expected it to be all fun and games, but she'd be damned if she couldn't get it back on that track. "So did you see that Sirius bought a motorcycle?" she asked, letting out a half laugh, half sob. She sniffled a bit and wiped at her eyes.

James let out a chuckle. He had said what he wanted to say and was more than willing to let her change the subject. "Yeah, he was so excited to show it to me. I thought he was going to wet himself," James chuckled at the memory. "It suits him though."

Lily nodded thoughtfully before taking another sip of her Butterbeer. "That it does." They fell into a comfortable silence. Each sipping from their drinks and not sure what to say next, but it was nice. It wasn't awkward as one might imagine it would be.

After a few more minutes they fell into another topic and spent the rest of the night reminiscing and laughing. They talked about Hogwarts and the many pranks James and Sirius had pulled. They talked about their relationship, recalling fun times, before the baby. They sat there well into the night, until all the other tables were cleared.

"We're closing up, you two," the bartender called, though you could tell by his voice that he hated interrupting their good time. Lily and James had always been entertaining to watch.

Lily and James nodded at him, gathering their cloaks. Lily glanced at her watch. It was nearly two in the morning. She hadn't realized that much time had passed. They made their way to the door, giggling. The cold November air sobered them both up quickly. They stood outside the door as Bill locked up inside. Lily shifted nervously. She looked over at James.

"Do you want to come home with me?" she asked, a fire warming in her belly. "I live just a few blocks that way," she said, pointing.

James studied her for a moment as if he was fighting a mental war with himself. Finally the side of desire won and he nodded. "Yeah, sure. Lead the way," he said, grabbing Lily's hand in his own.

Lily grinned up at him as they started walking and soon they were talking again. They reached Lily's flat in a few minutes. "It's a mess, I wasn't expecting company," Lily warned.

James only nodded as she unlocked the door. They walked into the room and it was neat, just as James had expected. The "mess" as Lily called it, was a single glass on the coffee table and an unfolded Afghan on the light blue loveseat. Lily was a very neat person; her messes were what some people considered nearly spotless.

James watched, mesmerized as Lily removed her cloak and hung it up. Her shirt fit her nicely, hugging her breasts and curves and James forced himself to look away. He didn't know for sure that Lily had asked him here for sex and he didn't want to make assumptions. After all, they had been broken up for over nine months and even though she had admitted that she still loved him, that didn't mean that she was ready to get back into a relationship with him. James stared at her as she picked up the glass, carrying it to the small kitchen. She walked back into the living room, folding the Afghan and motioning to the couch. "Have a seat," she offered. "I'll make us some tea."

James crossed the room and did as instructed while Lily headed back to the kitchen. She was in there for a few moments before he grew restless. He needed to feel her against him. He yearned for her touch. He stood and walked into the kitchen. Lily was reaching for some cups out of the cabinet when she felt James step beside her. She grasped the cup in her hand, setting it down on the counter before looking over at James.

His hand rested against her cheek as he moved his face closer to hers, capturing her lips in a sweet, gentle kiss. It took only a few seconds for things to heat up. Lily wrapped her arms around his neck, straining on her toes to reach him better. James placed his arm under her butt, lifting her up and setting her on the counter to give her easier access, not caring that he knocked over the tea cup in the process.

She kissed him hungrily as if she had never been kissed before. There was desperation in their touch as they explored each other with their hands. Lily groaned as he roughly gripped her breast through the material. Her own hands reached the hem of his shirt, almost violently pulling the offending material off his torso and over his head before latching her lips back on his. Her hands explored his chest. He was even more built than she remembered and she took to memorizing these new muscles.

James removed his lips from hers and began kissing her neck. His tongue caught her pulse point and she took in a sharp breath, just as he knew she would. It was amazing that even after all these months they still knew what the other liked. Lily exacted her revenge by cupping him through his jeans, a moan emitting from his lips. She felt the vibration and giggled a bit as it tickled her throat. She felt the bulge growing beneath her hand and longed to have it inside her. _Soon enough, Lily. Soon enough. _She told herself.

Lily felt her own shirt being pulled over her and raised her arms slightly to help James out. He stopped after throwing the material on the ground and frowned slightly at the black camisole she bore. "Why do you always wear so many clothes?" he asked.

Lily giggled, a mischievous grin playing at her lips. She shrugged slightly. "It gives you something to do."

James looked at her, his eyes dark with desire. "Oh, I've got plenty to do," he assured her huskily before grasping her breast and bringing his mouth to the mound begging to be freed. He pushed the camisole out of the way to reveal a red lace bra. James hummed appreciatively. "You always did look great in red, Lils," he told her.

Lily felt her cheeks warm. She always had a bad habit of blushing when James complimented her. She couldn't quite pinpoint why. Maybe it was the way he said it, the way he put his whole heart into it. Maybe it was because she wasn't used to receiving compliments. Maybe it was because when he complimented her, she allowed herself to believe what he spoke as the truth.

Lily moaned as James' torture on her breasts caused the little rosy buds to harden. James grinned. He loved the sound of Lily moaning more than almost any other in the world. It was a bit of an ego thing, if he was to be honest. He loved that he could touch Lily in such a way to get a wonderful response. He had always prided himself in being able to please the redhead. When they had gotten together she was almost chaste, and his mind still wandered back to that sometimes and how he shed her of every ounce of prude, one kiss and one touch at a time. Now she was his little minx. She would purr only for him.

"You just love it, don't you?" Lily asked, sensing his thoughts and trying to sound bitter but failing miserably. "You just love how I moan for you."

James smiled, not lifting his lips from her bosom. "It is a rather lovely sound, Miss Evans."

Lily harrumphed, trying and failing to be pissed. She hated that he had this control over her. That he could make her react this way. She hated it, and she loved every second of it. She loved his feel, his touch, his lips, his body. She loved that he could make her stir in a way that no other man had ever done.

"Lily, dear, bitterness doesn't suit you well," James chastised lovingly. He finally tore his mouth away from her breast to look up at her. He caught her lips in his, effectively vanishing any negative thought from her head. They were once again snogging with much fervor, as if the other contained the life source they needed to merely survive. They continued their heavy petting and Lily's hands found her way to James' trousers, unbuttoning them.

James pulled away from her lips, earning a weird look from Lily. "No," he gasped.

"No?" Lily repeated, cocking her head to the side, an expression on her face that just made James want her even more. She was adorable when she was confused and sexually aroused.

"Not here," James clarified. "I don't want our first time in nine months to be against some cabinet in the kitchen. We'll save that for later," he added, his lips perking up in a sexy grin.

"Ahh," Lily said, understanding and relieved that he wasn't going to deny her sex. "Well, I do have a bed," she suggested, a twinkle in her emerald eyes.

James pretended to ponder this for a moment. "That just might be crazy enough to work," he finally deduced. Lily squealed as he lifted her from the counter, wrapping her legs around his waist as he placed his arms under her bum, holding her up.

She brought her lips back to his and after a minute she felt her back slam against the wall. She glanced up to see James reaching for the handle. "That's the loo, James," she said.

He let out a sigh and pulled her back from door only to walk a few steps and push her against the next one. Lily giggled. "Linen closet."

James sighed resting his head against her shoulder. "Lily, if you don't tell me where your room is," he hissed, "I'm going to forego all qualms and shag you right here against this door."

Lily let out a giggle. She knew he meant it from the hard tip pressing into her thigh. She thought about not telling him and letting him make good on his threat but she too didn't want their first reconnection to be raw and rushed. "End of the hall, on the right," Lily finally answered.

When they reached the room, James laid her down on the bed, covering her body with his and applying just the right amount of pressure. Their lips met once more for a mere ten seconds before Lily pulled away. It was James' turned to look confused.

"I think we both have on too many clothes," Lily admitted seductively.

James' mouth perked up into a smile immediately. "I always did like the way you think," he told her as his hands drifted down to her jeans, undoing them with ease. He pulled them down to her thighs and helped Lily wiggle out of the treacherous things. "Much better," he said, staring down at her in her lace panties and her half ripped off camisole that revealed her bra. He had to admit she looked a little assaulted but the grin on her face proved that she was anything but and that made James' desire grow.

"My turn," Lily assented, pulling James to the bed and laying him on his back. She straddled him and began at his neck and going downward, trailing kisses and swirling her tongue on random places, feeling the muscles ripple under her tongue and hands. After much torturing, she reached his pants. Her heart nearly burst with excitement. She loved James' penis. She knew it was exactly _classy _to think such a thing but she did, she loved it. It was amazing the things it could do to her.

She remembered the time she and the Marauders had been drinking and gathered around the boys' dorm. Sirius had decided they play a game of Truth or Dare. They all knew it was so Third Year but they were all drunk and figured the game would be more fun now that they were more mature.

"_Lily, truth or dare?" Sirius asked, his usual cocky grin upon his face. _

_Lily sighed. Of course he would pick her. First he had gotten her drunk and now he was going to get her to reveal something really embarrassing or do something she wouldn't do sober. "Truth," she slurred, deciding that was the worst of the two._

"_What's your favorite thing about our Jamsiepoo here?" he asked. _

_Lily perked up immediately, "His penis!" she said unabashedly, though the alcohol probably had something to do with it. Sirius and Remus let out a howl of laughter and Peter sat there trying to look like he wasn't trying not to laugh while James shifted uncomfortably and tried to shush Lily, throwing a glare at his two best mates. "No, no it's okay," Lily insisted, slurring her words slightly. "I don't care who knows. You have the best penis, James. I love it and I'm not ashamed to say it. I LOVE—" James finally silenced her, clamping a hand over her mouth and tackling her to the ground which she found absolutely hilarious. _

_Once the two were sitting upright again, James threw another glare at his friends. "I hate you, Black." _

"_I was trying to be nice," Sirius insisted, offended. "How was I to know that she was going to declare her undying love for your cock?" _

Lily allowed herself to grin at the memory. James noticed her grin and took offense. "There is _nothing _that you should be laughing at down there."

Lily shook her head, giggling. "Don't worry, dear, I would never dare to laugh at your package. I was just thinking about that game of Truth and Dare we played with Remus, Sirius, and Peter."

James chuckled at the memory as well. His chuckle relit the fire in Lily's belly and her eyes darkened with desire once again. She went back to the task at hand, unbuttoning his trousers and an agonizing pace, making sure to _accidentally _brush her hand over his tip multiple times. She heard James groan impatiently and grinned to herself. She finally undid his pants, she herself getting a little antsy, and slid them down his legs, letting him kick them off. She watched as it sprung to life under his boxers. She slid the boxers down as well, leaving him lying naked before her.

A breath hitched in her throat as she took in his bare form. Gods he was beautiful. She smiled mischievously up at him before gripping the throbbing member in her hand. She brought her mouth down, swirling her tongue over the tip and holding back her giggle as James bucked his hips. She pulled the member further into her mouth and began bobbing her head slightly. She heard James mutter something and pulled away, looking up at him.

"What was that, love?"

"I said, 'Please stop,'" he repeated. "As amazing as that feels and Merlin does it feel amazing, I'm afraid I'm going to explode if you don't stop."

Lily's lips perked up at the side. "Is that such a bad thing?" she asked teasingly, moving her hand up and down on his hardness.

James fought to find his words. "I just…it's too…soon," he said. "For the love of Merlin, would you stop that?" he asked roughly.

Lily giggled before releasing her grip on his manhood. She climbed her way back up his body and was promptly flipped over upon reaching his mouth. She giggled underneath him as he nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent. He slowly pulled the camisole up and off her, leaving her clad in matching red lace bra and panties. The color clashed nicely with her pale skin. Sure, black lingerie was sexy but it washed Lily out. Yeah, James decided, red definitely looked the best on her. James took in a breath and willed himself not to go over the edge then and there.

Lily squirmed a bit under his gaze. She was never one to like being stared at and the fact that he was doing it with desire in his eyes did little to ease her discomfort. James smiled at her sadly. He hated that she didn't like being stared at. It always made him feel bad for gawking and halted his admiration when he wanted nothing more than to take her in with his eyes.

"I hate that you hate when I watch you, Lily," he muttered. She bit her bottom lip. "You are so beautiful and sometimes I just want to sketch you in my brain so I will never forget."

She felt her face warm. James captured his lips in hers. He brought his hand down to her breast, kneading the milky mound through the lace. He pushed the material away roughly, relishing in the feel of soft skin against his rough palm. He tweaked her nipple and watched her face light up, a moan escaping her lips. She thrust her chest up into his hand and he chuckled slightly at her impatience. He followed the strap up to her shoulder, pushing it off her shoulder slightly, letting it hang against her arm as he began to place feather-light kisses on her bare shoulder.

Lily let out a frustrated sigh. "Would you just remove the damn thing already, James?" she suggested, glancing down. "It's not covering anything anyway."

"So demanding," James chuckled though he obliged, reaching behind her while she arched her back, he undid the clasp with ease. He pulled the material off of her the rest of the way and tossed it on the floor. He didn't hesitate for even a second before his mouth was on her little bud, suckling while he roughly tugged at the other with him. Lily writhed beneath him, moaning his name. He immediately slowed his pace.

He started moving his lips down her body, much like she had done to him earlier. He reached her soaked panties and grinned. He slid them down her legs and they soon joined her bra on the floor. He stopped for a second, studying her in all her naked glory. At the moment, he didn't care if she didn't want to be gawked at he was going to take in every inch of her until she forced him to stop. After a full minute of memorizing her body, he pulled his gaze away and met her eyes.

"You're so beautiful, Lils," he told her, pressing his lips against hers. Knowing that neither of them could handle much more foreplay, he placed his fingers in her moist center. She was ready for him, he decided, spreading her legs as he settled himself in between them. He glanced at her, his hazel eyes asking for permission. Lily nodded her head. She was buzzing with excitement.

James pressed a final kiss to her forehead before pressing into her opening. A sharp intake and a small "Oh," emitted from Lily's lips. James halted immediately, allowing Lily to adjust to him. It had been nine months after all, and he wasn't exactly small. Glancing at her again, she nodded, giving him the go ahead. He continued pushing in further, wishing he could ease the pain as her face contorted into a grimace.

After another minute or so, the grimace changed into pleasure and James let out a sigh of relief. She began to move her hips with his. It was amazing how easily they had fallen back into a rhythm. It was as if they had performed the act the night before instead of almost a year ago. It didn't take long at all for the two of them to reach their peaks, being as worked up as they were. Lily screamed out his name in ecstasy, pleasure washing over her. James followed as her walls tightened around him, letting out a groan.

James pulled out of Lily and collapsed beside her. She immediately curled up next to him, resting her head and hand on his chest. He brought his hands up, running his fingers through her long, soft hair. The two drifted off into a peaceful sleep after only a few minutes. Lily woke up a few hours later from the sun spilling into the room. She glanced over at her clock and noticed that it was only seven in the morning. She glanced up at James, who remained dead to the world. She smiled as she studied his features. The way his messy jet black was even more unruly than ever. The way his soft lips formed into a small grin. She grinned at herself knowing that he was hers. He had always belonged to her as she had always belonged to him.

She snuggled in closer to him and fell back to sleep. When she woke up around noon, James was no longer next to her. She felt her heart drop slightly but perked up when she saw that his clothes were still on the floor. She grabbed her panties and his shirt, slipping into each of them. She pressed her nose to shirt, taking in his scent. She had always loved James' smell. It was the smell of soap and pheromones and it was oddly intoxicating to Lily. She walked from the room and heard James whistling in the kitchen before she walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

She made her way into the kitchen and stood in the doorway for a second watching James move around the kitchen, clad in only boxers, and whistling a happy tune. He turned and smiled at her when he felt her gaze on him. He smiled at her, a spatula in his hand. Lily walked over to him, hugging him from behind.

"I never knew a spatula could be so sexy," she whispered. James smiled and turned around catching her lips with his.

"You still like scrambled eggs, don't you?" he asked. Lily nodded. It was amazing. He knew everything that she liked. It was like the honeymoon phase with someone who knew everything about you, it was perfect.

James instructed her to have a seat at the table as he finished up the breakfast of eggs and bacon. James made two plates and grabbed some silverware carrying it all to the table. He took the seat next to Lily, scooting his chair close hers and grabbing her legs draping them over his legs. It was the perfect breakfast, filled with touching, feeding each other and laughing. Lily had insisted on cleaning up while James went and got dressed. He came into the kitchen, buckling his belt. He walked over to Lily, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I hate to ask, but I need my shirt, love," he told her. Lily gave him a mischievous grin before pulling the material over her head, leaving her in only her knickers. James took in the sight appreciatively. "I retract my previous statement. I'm very happy I asked for it back." He pressed a kiss to her lips and brought a hand to her breast. Pulling away before either of them wanted him to, he kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry to eat and run but I told Sirius I'd help him today and I'm already running an hour late."

"No worries," Lily insisted. "I told Margaret I'd meet up with her in town today anyway. She wants to go shopping. I swear that girl needs to go to Shopaholics Anonymous or something. She's got a serious problem."

James let out a chuckle, "Margaret always did have a certain attraction to retail." They bid each other goodbye and Lily finished putting away the dishes used for breakfast before heading to the shower.

She let the events of the night before wash over her. She smiled to herself, deciding that today was going to be a good day. I mean, how could it not with that kind of start?


	2. Chapter Two

_I'm absolutely AMAZED at the feedback and notification this story has received so far! I'm glad it's been going over well. I am giving you all this chapter a little earlier than I had planned as things are about to get hectic at work. We are short two people (one quit and one's on sick leave for a few months) and the person my manager hired took another job offer, so we are a little worn thin. I may not have as much time to write but my boss is amazing and has still managed to make it where I am working more, shorter days so that I can still write a little (she didn't do it so I could write, she just did it so I don't get too much exposure of the people in this town and go on a killing spree lol but it's worked out)  
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_(Collective thanks to some of you so I don't have to repeat myself: Thanks to those who read my stories and decided to give this one a shot!) _**  
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**Penny L. Pingleton: **_Aww yay, more gold stars! Thanks for the review! _

**JamesPotterBelongsToMe: **_Ooh yay! A new reader of my stories (or at least a new reviewer) Yes, yes, straight down to the dirty. :D Yes, it was a little OOC of Lily (I kinda made her a little OOC than how I usually write her but I hope I didn't get too ridiculous with it) Thanks for understanding that this is my story though. Some people have trouble grasping that concept. I hope to keep you interested. (P.S. You can have James but I totally call Sirius!)  
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**Eleos: **_I was notified of this in my email and literally scrolled down to see if there was any more haha I missed your long, drawn out review. (And I'm still waiting for a review on WFaM, missy! :P) Haha and again, yes, straight to the down and dirty, this story is a little more mature than my others have been but that had always been my intention even years ago when I first started coming up with the idea for for the review (even if it was a little on the short side, totally JKing by the way, I love and appreciate all feedback but I'm too big of a smart ass to resist giving someone rubbish :D) _

**Super Cara: **_Yes, it's a very sad day. I've come to love writing these characters as much as I love writing my own characters that I develop (maybe even more). I will sincerely miss Lily and the Marauders, but I still get to write them for another month or so, so I'm trying not to think about it too much lol. I'm glad you liked it. _

**LilyHeartsJames: **_Haha yeah, as I said, it's a little different from my other stories. I've always been in love with the idea of this story. Part of it is I came up with idea after I'd been writing FanFic for a while, so it was a little more well thought out and all the good stuff. I feel like this is some of my best writing (personally). Also, I'm liking the fact that it is consistently well written. I don't have to tell people "Ignore the first ten chapters, they were written when I was fourteen" (which I have done lol) Thanks for the review! __  
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Chapter Two

Lily braced herself against the bitter cold as she made her way down the sidewalk. She was glad to see that the streets were more crowded than they had been the night before. Lily smiled at everyone she saw, the sun seemed brighter, even the biting cool air didn't seem so bad this afternoon. For the first time in a long time she even saw a woman with their baby and there wasn't that tug at her heart. James had left her over an hour ago but she could still taste his lips on hers, could still feel his touch on her skin.

Lily walked into the shop she had been instructed by Margaret to meet her at. She heard her friend's voice before she saw the girl, which was actually a pretty common occurrence. She heard a faint giggle and knew immediately that her friend was flirting. Margaret hated the idea of commitment and being tied down but she was the Flirting Queen, she could seduce just about any man given the right amount of time. She knew what men liked and sometimes used that skill for her own selfish needs. That being said though, she wasn't a whore, she had actually only slept with two guys in her life.

Lily continued further in the shop, browsing the clothes as she went by. She finally found Margaret leaning against the counter, her back turned to her. Lily could see that she was playing idly with a necklace on display. Based on the position of her head, Lily would bet that her friend was staring intently into the cashiers eyes, her near perfect lips positioned into a wide grin, showing off her pearly whites. Margaret let out another giggle, her long straight black hair swishing as she shook her head slightly.

Lily closed the gap between her and the other girl. Margaret turned her head as if sensing her friend's presence. Margaret was a Muggle but Lily swore she was more psychic than any Seer she had ever met.

"Lily!" the girl squealed, embracing her in a tight hug.

"Hey, Mar," Lily replied. Margaret suddenly halted the embrace, grabbing Lily's shoulders and pushing her back slightly. Lily fought to not squirm as bluish-grey eyes studied her as if trying to read her mind.

"Oh my God!" Margaret said. Before Lily even had a chance to respond, Margaret was turned to the cashier. "Lucas, love, please excuse us. I need to talk to my dear friend Lily here alone."

Lucas nodded but Margaret paid no mind as she was already dragging Lily to the corner. "Mar, what's this—"

"You little tramp!" Margaret commented, a grin a mile wide on her face. Lily teetered slightly, how in Merlin's name did she do that? "I know you shagged Potter, it's written all over your face. Don't even bother trying to deny it and just get to the good parts."

Lily's own grin took over her face as she began recanting the previous night's events. Margaret stood there and listened like an eager child. She even bounced slightly. Lily sometimes wondered how one person could have so much energy. "And the sex," Margaret asked, "How was it?"

Lily smiled, remembering every touch, every stroke. "Amazing."

Margaret squealed again, pulling her friend into another hug. "Oh, Lily, I'm so happy for you! So are you two officially back together?"

Lily shrugged, "We didn't really discuss it, but yeah, I think we might be headed in that direction. He told me he still loves me. Though, after everything we went through last time, I'm more than willing to just let this be a good time and try not to put too many labels on it."

"Lily Evans with a shag buddy," Margaret laughed. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"It's not like that with James. We love each other. I'm just not in any rush to announce our engagement."

"Uh huh," Margaret said as if only to humor Lily. "You can justify it anyway you want to yourself, Lily, but you can't lie to me. I'm your best friend. Sometimes I know you better than you know yourself, and you, Miss Evans, have a fuck buddy."

Lily physically shuddered. "I've always hated that term. It's just so crude. I don't know what James and I have, I'm just happy we have it."

Margaret gave her friend a knowing grin before grabbing her arm. "C'mon, let's do some shopping. It's been a whole week since I've bought any new clothes and I swear I'm going through withdrawals."

Lily giggled at her friend, but allowed herself to be dragged to one of the isles. Margaret's family was one of the richest in town and Margaret had a never ending finical flow at the tip of her fingers, which only added to her shopping addiction.

"So, Lucas?" Lily asked when she noticed the boy staring at the two girls. Margaret glanced up from the rack of clothes she had been rifling through and shrugged.

"He's nice enough. I'm not sure he's my type, though."

Lily laughed. "He's cute and breathing, he's exactly your type, Mar."

The other girl gave another shrug, "He's a little daft," she said dismissively. "Not the brightest Wizard at Hogwarts."

Lily chortled, shaking her head. She had informed Margaret of her being witch when she received her acceptance letter. Margaret was intrigued and forced Lily to tell her every detail about the Wizarding World. Margaret had no qualms about making Wizarding references around Lily. To be honest, Margaret had little qualms about anything she did.

Three shops and a few hours later, Lily started complaining about her feet hurting. Normally, Lily wouldn't be so whiney, but her friend would drag her to every store there was and make it an all day event if Lily didn't speak up.

"Well, we can find some place to eat," Margaret suggested, handing the lady behind the counter a few bills and waited for her change while grabbing the bag. "I'm rather hungry myself."

A smile crept upon Lily's face as she remembered her previous meal. She felt eyes on her and glanced up to see her best friend smiling at her.

"I haven't seen you this happy in a while, Lily," she said. "I'm really glad for you."

Lily nodded as Margaret thanked the cashier and the two girls headed for the door. "I'm really happy for me too," Lily said. "I spent entirely too long in my little rut."

The two friends made their way down the sidewalk, talking and laughing. Margaret made a beeline for the most expensive restaurant on the strip. "Uh, Margaret," Lily said, mentally counting the money she had in her pocket.

"Don't worry, Lily," Margaret insisted. "It's on me."

Lily considered arguing with the girl but knew it would do no good. So with a small shake of her head, she followed her friend to their intended destination. As it was late afternoon, the small establishment was nearly empty. The hostess, a pretty girl with her brown hair pulled into a stylish ponytail, seated them. "Your waiter will be right with you," the hostess said, placing menus in front of them. Margaret nodded her thanks and stood from the table as the other woman walked away.

"I'm going to go powder my nose," Margaret said, though she looked perfect. Lily knew better than to argue this point. "If the waiter comes while I'm gone, I'll just take a water. I'm trying to lose three pounds."

Lily shook her head. Her friend was always watching her figure, though she didn't really need to. Margaret had a body that most girls would kill for. Margaret returned a few minutes later, taking a sip from the water the waiter had just placed before her.

"What can I get for you ladies today?" he asked.

Lily and Margaret ordered and the waiter assured them their food would be out as soon as possible. The two fell into a comfortable conversation.

"Daddy's been talking about buying a condo in Hawaii." Lily noticed a slight flicker in her friend's eyes but ignored it as the girl continued talking. "I personally hope he does. I love Hawaii. It's so beautiful."

Suddenly, the world went dark. Strong hands had covered Lily's eyes. "Guess who," a husky voice whispered in her ear.

A grin spread across Lily's face. "Hmmm…Let me think. Is it the ruggedly handsome Sirius Black?" she asked and she heard Sirius let out a bark-like laugh as James answered with "No." His lips were still on her ear. "Remus Lupin?" she tried again, grinning.

"Getting closer," James said, nibbling on her ear.

"Ah, I know exactly who it is," Lily said. "James Potter."

"Mhm," James said, removing his hands from her eyes and planting a kiss on her cheek. "How are you lovely ladies today?" he asked. He glanced down and saw the half dozen or so bags by Margaret's feet. "I see you got some shopping done."

Margaret grinned broadly. "I got some of the cutest tops for super cheap," she gushed. Margaret never passed up the chance to talk about shopping. "How have you been, James?" A knowing glint shone in her eyes.

"I've been good. And you?"

Margaret nodded. "Just fine."

Sirius Black sauntered closer to Margaret, picking up her hand, he kissed it. "It's good to see you again, Margaret."

Margaret blushed slightly, and Margaret never blushed when it came to men but Sirius Black had a certain charm. When the two had first met, Lily and James had been sure that they were going to jump each other right then and there. They had even made a bet on how long it would take for the two to hook up, but surprisingly it never happened. Though the two flirted like there was no tomorrow when they were around each other.

"We were just waiting for our food," Margaret said. "Why don't you two join us? I can just get us a bigger table."

James looked over at Sirius. "Want to, mate?"

"Of course," Sirius said, his grey eyes twinkling at Margaret. "I never pass up the opportunity for good food and good company."

"It's settled then," Margaret said, waving her hand at the passing waiter. "Waiter," she called out.

The man turned immediately, doubling back. "Yes, Ms. Campbell, how can I help you?"

"These _fine_," she flashed a grin at Sirius, "young men would like to join us for lunch. I was wondering if we could be moved to another table." Margaret knew she would not be denied nearly anything at this establishment but she still posed it as a question. That was one thing Lily liked about her best friend. The girl was spoiled, no doubt, but she never looked down at others or treated them as her servants.

"Of course," the waiter replied, grabbing the girls' drinks and leading the four to a bigger table. "How's this, Ms. Campbell?"

"Perfect, Simon," Margaret said, giving the man her signature smile. "Thank you so much."

"My pleasure," he insisted as everyone got seated. Naturally, James and Lily sat on one side of the table while Sirius and Margaret occupied the other. "Can I get you gentlemen something to drink?"

"I'll take a Coke," James said, glancing at his menu.

"I'll have a beer," Sirius said.

"Honestly, Sirius," James opposed. "It's four in the afternoon."

Sirius shrugged ignoring his friend's protest.

"Do you two lads know what you want to eat? That way I get your food out at the same time as the girls'?"

James and Sirius nodded and ordered their food. The waiter took their menus and walked off. Sirius grabbed Margaret's drink. "This Vodka?" he asked, taking a sip before giving her a chance to answer. He blanched slightly. "Water?"

Margaret nodded. "I'm trying to lose a couple pounds."

"That's rubbish," Sirius told her. "You look fine."

Lily had taken the time to turn to James. "Is Sirius okay?" she asked. Sure, Sirius wasn't one to turn down a chance to get roaring drunk, but it wasn't like him to be actively seeking alcohol this early in the evening.

James shook his head. "He found out some bad news about his brother, Regulus." Lily didn't need to be told what the bad news was. The others had had their sneaking suspicion and Lily figured with all of them being in the Order they would all find out the news soon enough. Sirius' little brother had become a Death Eater, and Sirius was trying to deal with it in the best way he knew how. She just sincerely hoped he didn't do anything stupid. Self-destructive Sirius was never a good thing.

He seemed to be hiding his despair well enough as he flirted with Margaret. That was another thing about Sirius; he never showed that he was upset. He would pretend as if everything was just fine. Margaret, the psychic that she was, didn't notice that anything was wrong with Sirius. Though, Lily suspected that the girl was only clairvoyant when it came to her. The two had been best friends since birth. Margaret was three months older than Lily, though you never would've guessed it seeing the two girls interact. Their mums had been best friends, before Lily's mother had passed away, that is.

When Lily had went off to Hogwarts, it was the first time they had gone longer than four days without seeing each other, though they wrote to each other every day. Mr. and Mrs. Campbell had even bought Margaret her own owl, Johnny. Margaret had named him.

The group's conversation flowed from one topic to another easily. James and Lily played with each other's hands underneath the table, ignoring the knowing looks from Margaret and Sirius. Margaret and Sirius continued their flirting. When their food arrived, the two couples fed each other. Well, Lily and James fed each other and Sirius stole food off Margaret's plate. Lily laughed at the exchange and smiled when she noticed that Sirius' beer had gone almost untouched. He seemed genuinely happy once again, he was back to the old Sirius; the one that didn't need any kind of intoxicants to have a good time. He let out a bark-like laugh as Margaret pretended she was going to stab him with her fork.

Lily excused herself to use the restroom. She was standing at the sink, washing her hands when a reflection in the mirror made her jump. She turned around and collided with a strong chest. "You can't be in here, James," she hissed. He interrupted her protests by pressing his lips to hers. She let herself melt into the kiss but pulled away abruptly when she heard the toilet flush.

An elderly lady walked from the toilet cubicle. "I'm so sorry, ma'am," Lily apologized. "He was just leaving," she said, nodding towards James.

The elderly lady smiled at Lily. "It's quite all right, love," she insisted. It was evident that James wasn't interested in seeing anyone in the loo besides the redhead.

"See, its fine," James said, leaning in for another kiss.

She pushed him away slightly, grinning despite herself. "C'mon, love, let's get out of the girl's loo before we get in trouble." She grabbed his hand and led him out of the room. The two made their way back to the table.

"Wow, that was fast," Sirius commented, his hands on Margaret's legs, which were draped across his lap.

"That is why they call it a quickie, mate," James commented, earning a slap on the shoulder from Lily. "Just playing," he corrected himself. "Lily's much too prude for that."

She glared at him before smiling, an idea popping into her head. She dropped her hand to his lap, dangerously close to the place he wanted it most. She leaned close to his ear. "Come by my place tonight and I'll show you prude," she whispered seductively, giving his thigh a tight squeeze.

James looked over at him. "You're pure evil."

Lily only smiled in response. The waiter came over and cleared the table of everyone's plates, asking if anyone would like desserts or needed refills. He glanced at Margaret's empty glass. "Let me get you another water, Ms. Campbell."

"Can we get two? Mr. Black, here, drank my last one."

"Certainly." He eyed Sirius' full beer. "Was everything okay with the beer?"

Sirius nodded, his long black hair swishing with the movements. "It was fine, my kind sir, I just decided I wasn't in the mood for it." Lily and James both smiled at their friend while the waiter took the full beer and Margaret's glass. When he returned a few minutes later, they all ordered dessert.

An hour later, Margaret patted her stomach. "I'm going to have to run a mile to burn all of that off," she said, ignoring the pointed looks from the others though no one said anything. "Lily and I better get going. There's one more shop I want to stop at. I saw a top in the catalog the other day and I must have it."

Lily let out an audible groan. She loved shopping as much as the next girl but she was starting to remember why she hated shopping with her best friend. Not to mention that her spending was limited as she wasn't working at the moment and her family wasn't stupid rich like Margaret's. The other's all gathered around outside the door, hugging and saying their farewells.

James pulled Lily in for an embrace and pulled his mouth to her ear. "If it gets too unbearable, just remember all the lovely things I'm going to do to you tonight."

Lily grinned and nodded. "So I'll see you at eight?" she confirmed. James merely nodded and Lily and Margaret watched as the boys took off down the sidewalk. It was starting to get dark and the streets were nearly empty. Lily felt emptiness in the pit of her stomach. She hated Voldemort for doing this to her town. It was amazing what fear could do.

OooOooO

Lily looked around the small kitchen, trying to think of anything that she had forgotten. Her small table was set: Two plates with grilled cheese sandwiches and crisps; a candle in the middle of the table; a wine bottle on ice and two wine glasses. She was laying out napkins when she heard a knock on her door. She wondered briefly if she should change. She was clad in boy shorts and a tank top. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail. She quickly decided against it. James never minded what she looked like and it wasn't like she would be in her clothes for too much longer. Not to mention that shopping had worn her out and she didn't have much energy to try and get too prettied up. This lack of motivation was also the reason for the easy dinner.

"Coming," she called, crossing the room to door. She looked out the peephole. She wasn't as paranoid as some people about the rising of the Dark Lord but she wasn't daft either. She grinned when she saw James standing in the hallway. Unlocking the door, she threw it open. James stood there in the clothes he had been wearing earlier, holding flowers: Daises to be exact, her favorite. "Hello, James," she greeted, the butterflies in her stomach going wild.

James took in her apparel and grinned at her. Even when she wasn't trying one bit to be so, she was breathtaking. He held out the flowers. "For you, love."

Lily took the bouquet from him, leaning up on her tiptoes to reach him for a kiss. It was just a small peck. She would like to eat dinner before it got cold and knew that wouldn't happen if they started snogging in the door way. James moved further into the room and Lily locked the door behind him.

"I made dinner," she told him as he followed her into the kitchen. She motioned for him to have a seat while she rummaged for a vase.

James took in the "feast" before him. "You remembered that grilled cheese was my favorite," he commented, grinning.

Lily nodded as she continued her searching. "I know I have one-aha!" While she worked on putting the flowers in the vase, making them perfect, James decided he could be useful and started pouring the wine.

Lily set the flowers down on the table but didn't take her seat. She headed over to the fridge. "I got us dessert too," she announced, pulling out a plate of strawberries and a can of whipped cream. James grinned at her. "I figured we could take that to the bedroom though," she added with a twinkle in her eye. James merely nodded, trying to remain composed and not ravish her on the spot.

Lily finally made her way over to the table, taking a seat. She picked up the half full wine glass, raising it for a toast. "To us," she said.

"To us," James repeated, clinking his glass with hers. The two filled the air with conversations about their day. "Apparently, Sirius' goal is to get the motorcycle to fly, but there are some things he has to fix on it first. He's got a knack for…what do Muggles call it? When you work on cars and stuff?"

"Mechanical work," Lily answered.

"Yeah, that," James said. "He had to go buy a special book to help him figure out how to work on his bike and had to get a few Muggle tools but he was doing a good job at it."

Lily laughed. "Sirius would make a good mechanic," she agreed. "He's got the long hair and that smolder."

James chuckled, placing a napkin on his empty plate and pushing it forward. "I would keep that between us. Sirius already thinks very highly of himself and doesn't need anyone else stroking his ego."

Lily grinned at the man across from her. "Can do." She took another bit of her sandwich while James refilled their wine glasses. "Mr. Potter, are you trying to get me drunk?" the redhead asked. She was already feeling the alcohol work its magic.

"I wouldn't dream of such a thing, my dear," he said, handing her the glass. Lily sipped from it, relishing in the taste. She had always been fond of wine. The two continued their conversation as Lily finished her plate. When she pushed her empty plate away from her, James grinned. "What do you say we take this little rendezvous elsewhere?" James suggested wickedly. Lily nodded, feeling warm inside from the alcohol and the look James was giving her. "Good, I'll grab the wine, you can get the dessert."

Lily stood from her seat, swaying a bit and giggling. She blew out the candle and walked over to the fridge. She followed James to her bedroom. Once in the room, James set the wine and glasses down on the side table before grabbing the items in Lily's hand and arranging them next to their drinks. Lily situated herself on the bed, sitting against the headboard and pulling her knees to her chest. James sat on the edge of the bed, grabbing a strawberry and shaking the whipped cream can before spraying some on the fruit before holding in front of Lily's mouth. The redhead giggled before opening her mouth and allowing him to feed her the strawberry. She laughed as she felt the whipped cream on the side of her mouth which she licked off.

"My turn," Lily said, crawling behind James who was still perched on the edge of the bed. She reached past him and grabbed the whipped cream can. "Open wide," she instructed before tipping the can upside down and spraying it into James' mouth, giggling all the while. She tried to put the strawberry in his mouth but failed as she was laughing so hard. James finally managed to grab the strawberry from her and eat it while she continued her laughing fit. She was leaning against his shoulder and James found himself chuckling after he finished the strawberry.

"I think someone's a little drunk," he commented laughing.

"Who me?" Lily asked, feigning innocence. "I'm perfectly sober," she said before giggling.

"Uh huh," James said. "Lie down," he instructed.

Lily did as she was told. She watched, mesmerized as James pushed her shirt up and sprayed some whipped cream around her belly button before licking it off. Lily giggled as his tongue tickled her stomach.

"Mmm," James moaned. "You taste much better than any strawberry."

Lily grinned down at him. "Is that so?"

"Mhm," James insisted, nodding.

The two spent the rest of the night drinking and laughing. They licked whipped cream off each other as the rest of the strawberries went forgotten. They played and they made love. It was an amazing night, and after a few hours, Lily drifted off into a peaceful sleep, her body sore and exhausted from laughing and making love. James was wrapped around her and she snuggled her head into his chest.

Early in the morning, she felt James shifting beside her as she was placed on the bed. She opened her eyes and glanced over at him. "Where are you going?" she asked, her voice laced with sleep.

"I've got to work," James whispered to her as he slipped into his jeans.

"But it's Saturday," Lily said, hugging the pillow to her chest.

"I know, but I volunteered to work today. We are a little understaffed." James finished buttoning up his shirt and walked over to Lily, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Go back to sleep."

Lily nodded closing her eyes. James let himself out the front door.


	3. Chapter Three

_Hey everyone. I'll make this short and sweet. I'm just going to give a big THANKS to everyone who reviewed. I don't have time to type replies to all the reviews as today is my only day off until next Tuesday, so I have a bunch of stuff I need to try to get done today. Here's the next chapter. I hope you like it. Also, my work schedule is getting crazy and I'm also working on another story, so updates might get slower, but I already have this story all planned out. As of now I think this story is about half way done almost. I never planned on this being a long story and I'm running out of ideas so I might end it at six or so. I'll let you all know. _

Chapter Three

Lily was cleaning the kitchen, dancing around to ABBA coming from her radio. She had woken up a few hours ago and showered before throwing on an old tee-shirt that went down to her mid-thigh and some panties. She had sat around, bored and restless. She tried reading a book but even that couldn't occupy her mind. She needed to do something. She was going stir crazy. She decided she would clean, that always calmed her and gave her something to do. She jumped slightly when she heard someone knock on the door, turning down the radio and grabbing her wand off the table, just to be safe as everyone who might stop by was busy today. She walked over to the door, forgetting that she was barely clothed. She glanced out the peephole and let out a sigh of relief when saw the long dark hair fill her view. Lowering her wand, she unlocked the door.

"Hello, Sirius," she said, stepping aside so he could enter. A mischievous grin formed on his handsome face as he took in Lily's wardrobe.

"Aww, Lils, you didn't have to get all dressed down for me," he said through a bark-like laugh. His eyes swept her body once more as she looked at him confused. Suddenly Lily looked down and gasped.

"Shit," she muttered. "Just let me go get some shorts on."

"There's no need to get dressed for little ol' me," Sirius insisted, chuckling, his grey eyes shining with mischief. Lily smiled, shaking her head and causing her ponytail to swish with her movements.

She offered Sirius a seat as she made her way down the hall to put on some more appropriate clothing. She threw on a pair of shorts before heading back to the living room. Sirius was sitting on the couch, looking positively bored. He was fiddling with the Afghan against Lily's couch. Lily joined him on the couch, pulling her feed underneath her.

"Do you want something to drink? I can make us some tea or something."

"Nah," Sirius said, shaking his head. "I'm fine."

Lily sat there awkwardly for a moment, trying to think of what to what to say. Now that she thought about it, there had only been a handful of times that she had been alone with James' best mate. "Errr…so what's up?"

"Not much," Sirius said, letting out a sigh that only he could pull off. "I'm bored. James is working, Remus is on some mission for Dumbledore. Even Pete has something going on. He was being super secretive about it though. He's been acting weird lately."

Lily pulled her feet closer underneath her, brushing her hair from her face. "Yeah, I've noticed he's seemed detached. He's probably just stressed after the death of his Gran."

Sirius nodded. "Yeah, I guess." Sirius immediately perked up, a mischievous grin growing on his face. Lily was almost afraid to hear what was going to come out of the man's mouth. "So, our dear James spent the whole day yesterday talking about you."

Lily immediately perked up at the mention of the messy haired man. Lily tried to recompose herself and not give herself completely away, but it was too late. Sirius was smiling at her knowingly. "Oh did he?" Lily asked, trying one last time to be nonchalant.

"Yep," Sirius said, pushing his hair out of his face for it to just fall back the way it was. "It was rather annoying actually. He was all 'Lily this' and 'Lily that'. I about wanted to gag myself."

Lily reached forward and pushed his shoulder, letting out a giggle. "You prat."

Sirius merely shrugged, enjoying their little banter. "You know I'm just poking fun, LIls."

Lily laughed, nodding. "Yeah, I know." A small silence filled the room. Lily wasn't sure what to say next. An idea popped into her head but she hesitated. Sirius had seemed to be doing okay and she didn't want to ruin that. But he needed to know that she was here for him, that she felt his pain, so she opened her mouth to speak. "I'm really sorry about Regulus, Sirius." She spoke the words almost timidly, as if she were afraid of Sirius' reaction. It was almost like you could physically see her steadying herself for his rage. But it never came.

Some of the glint in Sirius' eyes died down and his face dropped slightly. Lily could swear she heard her heart breaking in the silence. She had only seen Sirius look this solemn a few times in her life and each time it had shaken her. His name may be Sirius, but the man was anything but. He was carefree and fun loving. He was the one everyone turned to when they needed cheering up. When he got that look, lost that spark, it was as if a part of him had died. His deadened grey eyes met Lily's own misery filled emerald orb. He nodded slightly. "That means a lot. Thank you, Lily."

"It's no problem at all," Lily said, pulling him into a hug. "I know we were all hoping that we were wrong. That we had just been paranoid and reading too much into stuff."

Sirius nodded, ending their embrace. "I hate my family so much. Regulus was a prat at times but he was my baby brother. There was always a part of me that hoped I could get to him before they could. I feel like I failed him as a big brother, as the only sane one in the manor."

"You were just a kid, Sirius, there wasn't anything you could've done," Lily insisted forcefully, willing him to believe her as she looked into his eyes.

Sirius let out a sigh, though it couldn't be more different than the one he had let out earlier. This one was more tortured and showed actual despair. "I guess," Sirius agreed half-heartedly, dropping his gaze to floor.

"Yeah, well I _know_."

Sirius raised his head to meet her eyes. "You're a really good friend. Thanks, Lils."

Lily dismissed him with a wave of her hand. "You make it pretty easy to be a good friend. You are a good person, Sirius Black."

Sirius didn't respond this time. He just sat there with gratitude showing on his face. That was all the response Lily needed. Another silence filled the room as the two contemplated the previous conversation. Suddenly, Sirius' lips perked up at the side and the glint returned in his eyes. Part of Lily was scared what was going to pop out of his mouth, but mostly she was just relieved that Sirius was back.

"So is James' penis still your favorite part of him?"

Lily dropped her shaking head into her hands and let out an audible groan, though her reaction was more for show than out of actual embarrassment. "I still can't believe you did that to me, Black."

"Me?" Sirius asked in mock surprise. "I thought you were going to say you loved his personality or impeccable taste in a best mate. I maintain my innocence on that one."

"Yeah, yeah," Lily said, removing her head from her hands but shaking it once again.

The conversation flowed easily from there and the two spent the next hour sitting on the couch, enjoying each other's company. Sirius announced that he had to get going and thanked Lily for letting him stop by. Lily walked him to the door, pulling him into a hug and putting her lips up to his ear. "Don't forget what I said, Sirius Black."

OooOooO

"Can I have everyone's attention?" Dumbledore stood in a crowded room. Everyone was perched upon various chairs and couches. The noise level had risen as the gathered talked amongst themselves. Lily and James were in a chair, Lily settled in James' lap. The couple wasn't speaking, instead playing with each other's hands and letting the words of their peers swirl around them like leaves in the wind. Sirius and Remus Lupin stood a mere few feet away, talking to a shorter man.

"How've you been, mate?" Sirius asked. "I haven't talked to you in a while."

The shorter man shifted awkwardly. "I've been all right," Peter Pettigrew squeaked. "I'm sorry to hear about your little brother."

Sirius nodded in response. He was slowly accepting the facts and wasn't allowing himself to go into a depression every time someone brought it up.

The elderly man called for attention once again and was successful this time as the conversations died down and everyone turned to Dumbledore. "I'll try to keep this meeting as short as possible," he continued. "Nevertheless, there are some important matters to which we must attend." Looking around to make sure he had everyone's attention, he went on. "As some of you know, the Prewitt brothers were killed last night."

A loud sob emitted from the room and everyone glanced over to see Molly Weasley clutching onto her husband, Arthur, as he wrapped his arms around her.

"Oh, no," Lily gasped. "I'm so sorry, Molly," she told the squat older lady.

Molly raised her tear soaked face to turn to the young woman. "Thank you, Lily. Little Charlie is taking it the hardest," she said. "Gideon was his favorite uncle." Molly was a few months pregnant with her sixth child. She had all boys and was hoping she would finally get the little girl she'd always wanted. She loved her sons and her husband but felt she needed some estrogen in the house with her.

"Give them all a hug for me when you see them," Lily told her. Molly merely nodded so that Dumbledore could get back to directing the meeting.

"The Prewitt's were some of the greatest men I've ever had the pleasure of meeting," Dumbledore said. "They will be missed. My heart goes out to you and your family, Molly." The grieving sister nodded her head in thanks. "Voldemort and his Death Eaters are getting stronger. They are becoming more ruthless. We are losing more members each day, which is why our attempts to recruit must grow."

Everyone nodded in agreement but didn't dare to speak. "Frank Longbottom and James Potter are working hard with the other Aurors and I would like to extend my thanks to them for their hard work." Everyone murmured in agreement as James and Frank nodded their heads in gratitude. "You two knew that it was almost crazy to join the Aurors at a time like this, but you are braving it anyway."

"I think I speak for both Frank and I when I say it's our pleasure, Albus," James said, turning his attention to other young man. Frank, who stood next to his wife, Alice, nodded in agreement.

Dumbledore wrapped up the meeting shortly, giving some specific tasks and thanking everyone for their efforts. Everyone filed out of the room, talking and some stopped to give Molly their condolences. Lily stood from James' lap, stretching.

"Fancy lunch?" James asked, wrapping his arm around her. Lily nodded, stretching her legs out. "Okay, I've just got to say goodbye to the guys," he said, leading her to his best mates.

Lily engulfed Remus in a hug. He was their age but looked much older. With a breaking heart, Lily remembered that the previous night had been a full moon. Remus had officially told her that he was werewolf in their Seventh Year even though she had figured it out years before.

"I'm not going to ask how you are, Remus, I can already tell."

Remus nodded, his sandy brown hair moving. "I'm fine, Lily. Dumbledore said they are working on a potion to help my transfigurations."

"I hope they do," Lily said. "I hate seeing you like this."

Remus nodded, pressing a kiss to Lily's forehead. He had always been fond of the redhead. He loved her like a sister, as did all the Marauders. The group stood there talking for a few minutes before Lily and James said goodbye, leaving the three men.

OooOooO

December had managed to sneak up them as Christmas drew ever closer. Lily was on her way to meet Margaret. This time, much to the surprise of both girls, she had asked Margaret to go shopping, and of course the bubbly girl had happily obliged. The air was growing ever colder and Lily had traded her cloak for a heavier coat. England winters were truly a bitch. Things between the redhead and James were progressing quite nicely. Neither of them had formally asked the other out yet, but they spent nearly every night at the other's flats. It was the best time of Lily's life. When she and James were lying in each other's arms, the rest of the world melted away. They weren't in the middle of a war and Voldemort and his followers weren't ruthlessly killing Muggles and the wizards who supported them.

The Order had doubled their efforts though it seemed almost futile as they were losing more and more members to the fight every day. Even in the middle of the day, the streets were deserted. Lily could remember when she was a young girl, her and her sister, Petunia, going into town with their Mum. They had to hold to their Mum's hand to avoid getting lost in the crowd of Christmas shoppers. Lily felt a pang in her chest at the thought of how much a Dark Wizard had even affected the Muggle community. It angered her like she had never been angered before. It was that rage that fueled her drive.

Her hand unconsciously moved up to her face, feeling a cut on her forehead. She and James had recently encountered a few Death Eaters on their last day out on the town. The two had narrowly escaped. Now, Lily was aware of her wand at all times. She was constantly tense and ready to fight. She hated the feeling but knew it was necessary. She wouldn't, however, hide. She wasn't going to stop going out and doing the stuff she loved just because there was a chance of an attack. If she halted her life, they won, and Lily would die before she let them win.

Lily walked into the nearest shop and relished in the warmth of the room. She stood there for a second, letting her fingers thaw out. She didn't see Margaret and decided to start browsing while she waited. She wanted to get James something special, though she had no idea what. What did you get the man who already had everything he could ever want? Lily glanced out the window to see a car pull up. She watched her best friend emerge from the town car and go up to the driver's side window, thanking the driver no doubt.

The driver felt Lily watching and glanced up, waving at her through the window. Lily smiled and waved back. She had always been fond of William. He had been with the Campbell's before Margaret's birth and had treated the little girl like she was his own daughter. Margaret in return loved him like a second father.

"So what are we looking for?" Margaret asked upon entering the shop. She removed her gloves, sticking them in her jacket pocket. The coat alone had probably cost about half a month's rent for Lily's flat. Margaret loosened her scarf and ran her fingers through her long black hair.

"A Christmas present. I need to get James something but I have no idea what," Lily said with a sigh. "I need something to show how much he means to me, but I've never been good at gift giving."

"Well, that's what you have me for," Margaret said. "As much as I love shopping for myself, you know I love shopping for other's more. I'll be damned if we don't find something perfect for him."

And Margaret was damned, though it wasn't from lack of trying. She had come up with some truly wonderful ideas but none of them "felt right" in Lily's words. The dark-haired girl had grown impatient with her best friend as they stood in their third shop.

"How about a watch or something? Men love watches," Margaret said, fighting to keep the irritation from her voice as she motioned to the display case.

"No," Lily said, letting out a sigh as she herself was growing frustrated that she couldn't find anything. "James isn't really a—Oh my Gods! It's perfect! You're a genius, Mar!"

Margaret's blue grey eyes studied her friend as if she had grown another head. She tried to see which watch Lily was looking at but the girl wasn't even glancing at the case. "Err…Thanks? I mean, I already knew I was a genius, but I'm not really sure what I did this time."

"A watch," Lily repeated. "More specifically, Dad's watch," she clarified. "He left me his watch. You know the one his father had given him. I always loved that watch and Dad gave it to me. It's perfect. James will love it."

"Thank the Lord!" Margaret exclaimed, relieved that her friend had finally thought of something. "Now can we go home? Mum invited you over for dinner. Hilda's making a roast."

"Sure," Lily said with a laugh. She couldn't wipe the smile from her face. She was so excited about James' present. Now the issue would be not spilling the beans for the next three weeks.

OooOooO

Lily followed Margaret into the warm house. It was huge. Lily had never seen a more beautiful home. Mrs. Campbell had hired some of the top designers from Paris to decorate her home. It was also immaculate, thanks to their house keeper, Hilda. Hilda had an eye for details and no dust bunny had ever survived the wrath of the old German lady.

Lily followed her friend down the hall, following the progression of Margaret growing up in perfect pictures that Lily didn't doubt were taken from the best photographer the Campbell's could find. In each picture, Margaret smiled her beautiful smile for the camera, her long black hair flowing behind her perfectly. There were also a few family photos as well as one of Mr. and Mrs. Campbell on their wedding day, again, looking perfect. As much as Lily had strived for perfection, it was almost overwhelming to be in this house. It had intimidated her when she was little and still did so at the age of eighteen. Everything had its place and Lily never dared to touch anything.

The two walked into the kitchen, where Hilda was gathering the items for the roast. "Hello, Hilda," Lily greeted warmly.

"_Hallo_," the woman greeted shortly. Hilda was taller than most women and was built like an ox. She had never really been friendly, but Lily thought her personality fit her. "Dinner won't be ready for another couple of hours so you girls just go find something to do." It was a demand and neither of the two girls were about to argue with the woman.

They went off in search of Margaret's parents. The two girls found the couple in the sitting room, enjoying a cup of tea. The parents stood immediately at the sight of Lily. Margaret was the spitting image of her mother, right down to her eyes and her long black hair, which she had pulled into a perfect bun. The petite woman looked better in her fifties than any woman could ever hope for. She was what Lily's mother had called a "timeless beauty." Her small shoulders bobbed up and down as she straightened out her shirt. "Lillian, so good to see you again," she said, crossing the room to embrace the girl in a polite hug. Elizabeth Campbell was the very definition of prim and proper. Lily doubted the woman had ever even so much as burped in her life.

"It's wonderful to see you too, Elizabeth." Lily was the only one of Margaret's friends to call the woman by her first name. She only allowed it due to her connection with Lily's mother.

Matthew Campbell looked more his age than his wife did. He was also Lily's favorite. She loved Elizabeth, but her intensity was almost more than Lily could take sometimes. She also felt for the woman, she couldn't imagine being so perfect all the time. Sure, Lily could hold her own among the most prestigious of company, but she did let her hair down, something Mrs. Campbell, literally, never did. She let herself be engulfed in Mr. Campbell's embrace. She enjoyed his hug more as it was out of love than obligation. Not that Lily thought Elizabeth didn't want to hug her; it just always seemed as if she was acting out some script rather than embracing someone she loved.

Not for the first time, Lily wondered what it had been like for Margaret, growing up with someone so detached. Lucky for Margaret, Matthew was amazing and a lot more relaxed. She didn't doubt that he had showered Margaret with the love she needed. Lily knew that her mother's properness was part of what fueled Margaret's personality. She would do anything to become a stiff like her mother and she had done a pretty good job. It was what caused most of the tension between Margaret and her mother. You could see it just by the way the two interacted but it was always subtle as Elizabeth wasn't one to cause a scene.

"How have you been, dear?" Margaret's father asked.

"I've been good," Lily answered. "And yourself?"

"Just fine."

"Come sit," Elizabeth instructed. "I'll have William bring out some more tea for you girls."

"Oh, no, that's not necessary," Lily said, allowing Matthew to lead her to the couch.

"Nonsense," Elizabeth answered firmly. "It's no trouble at all. William!" She barely raised her voice but it was loud enough to suffice.

Lily glanced over at her friend who was holding back her own giggle. Again, Margaret could mingle with the best of them but she found her mother's routine a little ridiculous at times. Lily was grateful that her own best friend hadn't bought into the rubbish.

"Yes, ma'am, you called?" William, a middle aged balding man, walked into the room. He was tall, like six foot two. He was a big softie though, unlike their housekeeper. William had always been Lily's second favorite of the household, after Matthew.

"Would you be a dear and fetch some more tea and two more cups for Lillian and Margaret here?"

"Of course, Mrs. Campbell," William agreed before turning from the room. When he returned a few minutes later with a new teapot and two cups perched upon a tray, Matthew was asking how Lily liked life after school and Margaret and her mother were discussing Christmas plans. "Anything else I can get for you ladies? Some biscuits, perhaps?"

"No thank you, William, this is perfect," Margaret answered, smiling up at him.

He returned the smile with a nod before leaving the room. Margaret poured her and Lily each a cup of steaming tea. The conversations picked up where they had left off while the four sipped on their tea.

OooOooO

Lily was gathered around the too big table with the Campbell's for dinner. The table was meant for large dinners that the Campbell's often hosted but Lily wondered why they didn't use a smaller table for family dinners. Then again, Lily knew the answer: The Campbell's never did anything small. Everything with them was big and extravagant. She picked at the generous plate in front of her. She knew there was no way she would be able to eat all of this. Hilda had piled a large piece of roast and a generous heap of mashed potatoes on her plate, along with corn and carrots. She reached forward, taking a sip of wine that William had poured for her. It was the first time that the Campbell's had allowed her and Margaret to drink with them at dinner. However, it was also the first time in over a year that Lily and enjoyed a meal with the family.

She felt self-conscious about her every move. She picked up her knife and carefully cut a small piece of roast off before eating it using her fork. A loud chime filled the room. Lily knew it was the doorbell.

"William, will you get that?" Elizabeth called. "Honestly, people have no manners these days. Don't they know we are eating dinner?"

"Probably not," Margaret answered. "Everyone else finished dinner hours ago. Most people don't eat at ten o'clock at night."

Lily smiled at her friend. Apparently Margaret had gotten over whatever qualms she had about talking back to her mother. Her mother fixed her with a stern look but was much too proper to actually scold her in front of company. Margaret grinned smugly, well aware of this fact. Lily fought back the urge to giggle. She glanced up when she heard her name.

"Ms. Evans," William said, standing in the doorway. "You have company."

"Me?" she asked, confused as she set down her fork. A grin lit up her face as James emerged from behind the large man.

"I'm sincerely sorry to interrupt your dinner," James apologized. "I didn't realize you would be eating this late."

"See?" Margaret chided her mother and fought her laugh as her mother merely grinned at her through gritted teeth. Lily found herself wondering once again if it hurt to be so damn proper all the time.

"Oh, it's not a problem…," Elizabeth began, trailing off after she realized that she didn't know James' name.

"I'm James Potter," he introduced himself, walking further into the kitchen and extending his hand to the woman. She placed her petite hand in his as he kissed it. "You must be Elizabeth, I've heard wonderful things." He turned his attention to Margaret's father. "And you must be Matthew."

"I am, it's a pleasure to finally meet you, James," Matthew said, shaking the young man's hand. "Lily's told us many wonderful things."

"Oh has she?" he asked, a mischievous glint in his hazel eyes. "Again, my apologies at interrupting. Lily and I had plans tonight and I grew worried after I couldn't find her at her flat."

Lily's hand flew to her mouth. She had completely forgotten that she told James she would meet up with him after he got off work. "Oh, James, I'm so sorry. I completely forget. They invited me over for dinner and I didn't think—"

"No worries, dear," James insisted, shaking his head. "I just wanted to make sure that you were okay. I'll let you all get back to your dinner."

"Have you eaten?" Elizabeth Campbell asked, just as Lily knew she would. "There is more than enough food and I feel terrible for interfering with your previous date."

"Oh, that's quite all right. I don't want to intrude," James insisted.

"I insist, have a seat. You can sit next to Lily there. I'll have Hilda fix you a plate," Elizabeth insisted. Before James could protest any further the woman was calling for their housekeeper.

"Best just do as she says, lad," Matthew said.

James nodded and took his seat next to Lily. She reached under the table and grabbed his hand. She was utterly grateful for him at this moment. She loved Margaret's family dearly but sometimes it was more than she could take. She felt herself visibly relax now that James was there with her.

Hilda fixed James a plate and he thanked her as she set it in front of him. William made quick work of pouring James a glass of wine. James grinned at Lily and she knew he was thinking of the last time he and Lily had shared a bottle of wine. Lily smiled and leaned in closer to his ear.

"Don't get your hopes up, love," she whispered. "I don't much care for an audience."

James grinned at her wickedly, squeezing her thigh under the table before digging into his plate. The conversation picked up once again.

"So, James, what do you do for a living?" Mr. Campbell asked, picking at his potatoes.

"Oh…err—" He glanced at Lily uncertainly.

"It's okay, they know," she assured him.

"I'm an Auror. I just finished my training over a month ago," James answered before taking a bite of his carrots.

"An Auror?" Mr. Campbell asked with curiosity. "And what does an Auror do?"

"Well…" James stumbled over his words. He wasn't against Muggles in the least but this was the most intimate conversation he had ever had with one. It was like trying to speak to someone who didn't speak English. Or maybe he was the one speaking a different language. Either way, it was a little awkward.

"They're like the Wizard Policemen," Lily explained while Elizabeth and William nodded. Elizabeth had a look on her face like she was fascinated but Lily knew that the elderly woman cared about no such business. She had always politely asked about how school and the Wizarding world were going but Lily had learned the woman's fake interest expression. Lily fought back to the urge to roll her eyes.

An hour later, James and Lily were standing in the Campbell's doorway, thanking them for a delicious dinner. Of course they told them it was no problem. Matthew reached out his hand to James. James took his hand in a firm shake.

"It was nice meeting you, James." Michael's eyes met James'. "You take care of Lily, you hear, lad?"

Lily giggled beside the two. "All right, _Dad," _she said sarcastically though she was actually really happy to have Michael giving James "The Threat."

"When you father passed, it became my job to take on his duties," Michael said in a mock serious tone.

"Uh huh," Lily said laughing. "Well you don't have to worry about James. He takes wonderful care of me," Lily insisted as he wrapped his arm around her. The two finished their goodbyes and stepped outside.

"My place?" James asked once he heard the door close behind him. Lily smiled up at him, nodding before Apparating to James' flat.


	4. Chapter Four

_Hey everyone, it might be a while until my next chapter. My next day off isn't until next Saturday and I have my sister's baby shower and then I don't know what I work after that. I have the first half of chapter five written and I have my original story that I'm writing that I also need to work on a chapter for. I've been working bunches and I haven't had much time to write. I'll probably work on it for a bit before I go to work. Now onto the thank yous. _

**Penny L. Pingleton: **_Thanks for the review. I'm glad you liked it and I love the gold stars xD_

**LilyHeartsJames: **_I'm having a lot of fun writing those four as well. I've always loved the relationship between the Marauders and Lily. Ever since I started reading the first book and even learned about Lily and James I've been obsessed with learning everything i can about them. Then after PoA, I became just as obsessed with the Marauders and of course, the hunk of man, Sirius Black. XD Yeah I had a little too much fun writing Margaret's mum, but it kind of pissed me off at the same time. I hate stuck up people. lol _

**Super Cara: **_Aww I'm really glad you're enjoying the story. Yes, as painful as that was to write, I made Sirius serious for a scene lol Technically, by making James an Auror I am going against cannon, not the other way around. Yes, in my story (and the actual story) they all joined the order right after Hogwarts. I just made James go into training to give a reason as to why they haven't seen each other for six months after Hogwarts. And yeah, I think it's about over. This story is a lot shorter than all my others because with my others I had to go through the whole "friends" stage and then they fall in love, yada yada. This time, they are already in love which takes a huge chunk of the story. I plan on there being four or five more chapters after what I already have written. Haha, No I'm not trying to break your heart. I've been writing about these characters for like six years, it's time to move on and start focusing on my original stories (that way I can publish a book and you can read it xD). But that's a HUGE honor to have someone tell me they are going to miss my fan fics that much! (Wow, sorry for the long reply, I kinda got a little off subject...anyway, thanks for the review!)_

**PhoenixOShea: **_As I told you in my PM, that was an accident, I've been writing a lot of Michaels lately (Not really sure why, I don't even like the name THAT much xD) and my fingers tend to take over and say "F*** You" to my brain and just type whatever they want. Seriously, I've discovered new words this way lol Thanks for taking the time to review and point that out to me. I'll fix it when I have time but right now it's not my biggest concern xD __  
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Chapter Four

Lily woke up positively giddy. It was Christmas day. It was her favorite day of the year. It was a day to spend time with her family and friends. She felt a pang in her chest as she remembered it was her first Christmas without her parents but she knew she was still blessed with wonderful friends and that was more than enough. She cuddled up closer to James, breathing in his scent. It was pleasant surprise that he was there. He must've used his key to get in after he got off work. She hadn't heard him come in but was glad that he hadn't woken her. It was the perfect Christmas Surprise.

He wrapped his arms around her tighter, his hazel eyes slowing revealing themselves as he blinked the sleep out of them. He smiled down at Lily, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "G'morning, love," he said groggily.

"'Morning," Lily replied, her own voice laced with sleep as well. She snuggled in closer to him, just wanting to spend the whole day wrapped in his arms. She knew she couldn't do that though. The others were coming over later for a Christmas dinner that she had volunteered to cook. Margaret and the rest of the Marauders would be there around five in the evening and Lily still had to cook everything. She knew she needed to get out of bed and start the day.

James noticed her frown and glanced at her, concerned. "Is everything okay, Lily?"

Lily nodded, a smile forming on her lips. "Yeah. Everything's perfect. I was thinking about how I need to get up and start getting everything ready for tonight, but I don't want to move."

"Don't then," James told her bluntly. "Just lay here with me all day. Then you can whip up some grilled cheese sandwiches before everyone gets here."

Lily giggled. "As wonderful as that sounds, we can't eat Grilled Cheese on Christmas day."

"I think you can," James said. "Who said Christmas dinner has to be fancy?"

Lily shook her head as she pushed against his chest to sit up. She glanced down at him as he placed his hands behind his head. It was tempting, very tempting, but Lily knew she couldn't do that her friends. They probably wouldn't mind, but she would never let herself live it down. She had promised them a Christmas Dinner and they were getting a Christmas Dinner. James read her determined expression and nodded.

"Okay, okay," he gave up, pushing himself into a sitting position. "But before you get up and start worrying your pretty little head about dinner, look on the table."

Lily brightened immediately. She glanced over to see a beautifully wrapped gift perched upon her bed side table. The silver wrapping paper adorned with candy canes was flawless snug around the box. Even the bow was perfect. Lily let out a chuckle. "You had Margaret wrap it, didn't you?"

James grinned sheepishly. "Is it that obvious?"

Lily giggled. "James, last year your presents looked like a five year old wrapped them. Not to mention I'd recognize that perfect bow anywhere."

James chuckled, not a bit ashamed at being called out. "I suck at wrapping presents. So I may have asked Margaret for help. What I got you is really special and I didn't want it to look like a toddler had thrown some wrapping paper on it."

"That's really sweet, James," Lily told him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"Well, go on. Open it!" James urged when he noticed Lily still hadn't picked up the package. Lily grabbed the gift and fiddled with the bow. Part of her hated her friend's perfect wrapping. She always felt like she was defiling something precious by unwrapping it. She ran her finger over the bow before cringing and grabbing one of the loose ends and tugging. James noticed her flinch and chuckled.

"Shut up," Lily said before voicing her previous thoughts.

James chuckled once again, shaking his head. "Only you, Lily Evans, could feel _bad _about unwrapping a present."

Lily shrugged, a blush warming her cheeks as she continued unwrapping the present. She opened the box and gasped when she saw the contents. A heart-shaped emerald pendant shone brightly, almost winking at her. "James," she said, knowing no words she could say would show how much she appreciated the gift. She settled for, "It's beautiful!"

James grinned from ear to ear at her reaction, knowing he had done well. "It made me think of you. It matches your eyes."

"It's absolutely perfect," she said, dropping the box and engulfing him a hug.

"Only the best for my girl," James told her.

Lily felt a pang in her heart. He had spent Merlin knows how much on this gift and all she was giving him was a ratty old watch. James noticed her changed in demeanor and asked what was wrong. "It's just that my gift feels inadequate now."

"Lily, whatever you give me will be perfect. The only Christmas gift I need is you anyway." James knew it was a totally cheesy thing to say but he meant it with all of his heart. Lily still seemed unconvinced and bit her lip. "Let me be the judge of its value," James told her.

Lily nodded, reaching into her drawer. She pulled out a long box. She hadn't wrapped it, instead opting to buy a new box and having it engraved with _To James Potter, Forever My Love. _She handed the box to him, too ashamed to look in his eyes. He slowly opened the eyes and Lily heard his reaction.

"Lily…is this…" he trailed off and the appreciation in his voice caused her to tear her gaze from the floor.

"It's my father's watch. He left it to me when he passed and I wanted you to have it."

James' hazel eyes shone with gratitude. It was one of the best, most thoughtful gifts he had ever received. It meant more than he could describe that Lily would want to give him something that had belonged to her father. It showed her love for him. It showed that she planned on spending her life with him. I mean, would you give something that belonged to your deceased father to someone you didn't plan on being with a year down the road? James wasn't sure how to express all this without sounding too corny so he pulled her into a tight embrace.

The two stayed in bed, kissing and gushing over the gifts they had received.

OooOooO

The early evening found Lily standing in the bathroom, stepping into a red dress that hugged her curves. She had already put on her make-up, which she studied in the mirror, touching up her eyeliner. She had to admit she liked the way the black liner made her eyes pop. She had curled her hair so that soft ringlets fell past her shoulders. James walked in behind her and took in a deep breath when he saw her reflection. Lily was always beautiful in his eyes, but she looked like a Goddess. She hadn't noticed him so he took the moment to study her.

He watched as she meticulously applied a light lipstick. She pressed her lips against a piece of tissue and was dabbing the corners of her mouth when James couldn't take it any longer. He was no longer content with just taking in her features, he needed to feel her. He stepped behind her, causing her to jump when he placed his hands on her shoulders. "You are absolutely stunning, Lily Evans," James whispered huskily in her ear before pressing a kiss to her temple so as not to disturb any of her hard work.

Even through the make-up, Lily's face flushed slightly. Though for James, it only added to her appeal. He reached down to her lower back to grasp the zipper in his hand. His warm knuckles brushed against her soft back as he pulled the zipper up. The light touch caused Lily to shiver and the fire to light in her belly. It was amazing how much James' touched affected her. She fought to catch her breath as she grabbed the necklace she had laid out on the sink. It was the necklace he had gotten her. "Will you put this on for me?"

"I'd do anything for you, Lily. Though I have to admit that I think it would look better on you," he added with a cheeky grin.

Lily rolled her eyes though she couldn't suppress her own smile. James could be such a smart arse but it was one of his most endearing qualities. He could almost always make her laugh. His expression changed to a more serious one as draped the necklace across her front before pushing her hair out of the way to clasp the necklace. After he was pleased that the necklace was secure, he pressed his mouth to the milky skin. He brought his tongue out to massage the area and nibbled slightly. Lily shuddered beneath his mouth and James grinned. He stopped his assault on her shoulder. Their friends were due there any minute and he didn't want to get too far into something they couldn't finish. Putting her hair back where it was, James wrapped his arms around her front.

"You are so beautiful, Lily Evans," he whispered in her ear.

Lily grinned at his reflection in the mirror. "You aren't half bad yourself, James Potter," she said, turning around and throwing one arm around his neck while the other hand idly played with the button on his shirt. "I've got to finish setting up the kitchen though," she said. She tried to walk away from him but James pulled her in for a kiss.

She returned osculation for a minute before pulling away from his grip. He followed her to the kitchen. She had put an enlargement charm on the table so it could seat the six friends. She had also conjured up some chairs for them. The table was almost too big for the small kitchen but Lily supposed it would have to suffice. She finished setting out the plates and silverware before going back to her room to grab her heels. She walked over to James who was standing in the middle of the living room.

"Stand still," she instructed before leaning against him to put on her shoes. "Thanks, love," she said, pecking him on the lips.

Just then there was a knock on the door and Lily looked out the peephole. Sirius and Remus stood on the other side, laughing and talking. Lily unlocked the door and greeted the two men with hugs and hellos.

"I thought Peter was coming with you two," James asked upon noticing the other man's absence.

Sirius shrugged. "He said he had something to take care of and that he would be here in a bit."

Lily, however, was much less concerned about the whereabouts of the third boy than she was about the bottle in Sirius' hand. "What is that, Black?"

An impish grin spread across the handsome man's face. "Firewhiskey, my dear Lily," he answered easily. "I know how much you love the stuff."

Lily blanched. "Well you all enjoy that. I'll stick to the champagne Margaret's parents gave me," Lily said, taking Remus and Sirius' cloaks and hanging them up. Lily was pleased to see that two men had dressed in suits as she had requested. Sure she knew that they weren't going anywhere but it made her feel more adult to have her friends dress up and come over for dinner.

"Aww, c'mon, Lils, where's your sense of fun?" Sirius asked teasingly.

"I threw it all up the last time I drank Firewhiskey," Lily retorted with a smile. There was another knock on the door and Lily glanced out the peephole to see her best friend.

Lily opened the door and the black-haired girl sauntered into the room, already removing her jacket. "What is with people in your flat complex, Lily?" she asked before saying hello to anyone. "I don't know what it is about every guy that makes them think I want them."

Lily let out a giggle. "Well, you do flirt with ninety-percent of the male population, Mar," Lily told her best friend, engulfing her in a hug while James took her jacket and hung it up with the men's cloaks.

"Yeah, but still, even the ones that I don't flirt with think I want to jump in bed with them. Some old man down the hall just whistled at me and asked for me to give him a ring sometime." Margaret visibly shuttered.

Lily laughed. "That's Charles. He's a harmless flirt. He actually reminds me of you a bit." Lily smiled at her friend's horrified reaction. "Not that you are anything like an old pervy man, but I can just picture you being eighty and walking down the street with your cane, hitting on all the attractive young blokes."

"That would be pretty awesome, actually," Margaret concurred thoughtfully. "Speaking of attractive young blokes," she said, turning towards Remus, Sirius and James, who she had yet to address, "hello gentlemen," she greeted, gracing each of them with a hug and kiss on the cheek.

"Nice to see you again, Margaret," Remus said.

"You look stunning as always," Sirius complimented, eying her appreciatively. Margaret was wearing a tight green dress. It was low-cut, showing an ample amount of cleavage and reached the floor with a slit going up the side, stopping at her mid-thigh.

"Thanks, you don't look so bad yourself, Sirius," she replied, flirting with her eyes and perfect smile. Lily resisted the urge to roll her own emerald orbs at the sight of her two friends. "I see that you wore the attire that Lily requested. I thought you were supposed to be a rebel."

Sirius shrugged his infamous care-free shrug. "I figured my bringing Firewhiskey would go over better if I didn't completely disregard everything she asked of me."

"Firewhiskey?" Margaret asked, the name rolling off her tongue as she tried to remember why it sounded familiar. "Wait…isn't that the stuff you drank the night you declared your undying love for James'…err…junk and puked your guts out, Lily?" she inquired, turning to her best friend.

Lily nodded, cringing slightly at the way Margaret had described the horrible night's events. "Yes, Mar, that's the same stuff, which is exactly why I will not be partaking in consuming it this evening."

"You're a killjoy, Lily. I'm rather excited to try it."

Lily let out a sigh. "Just, please, take it easy, Margaret," Lily said in a motherly tone. "Wizarding alcohol is a lot more potent than Muggle alcohol."

"Lily, are you suggesting I can't hold my liquor?" Margaret asked, feigning offence, pressing a perfectly manicured hand to her chest.

"We both know you can't handle your liquor," Lily said, laughing as she shook her head, causing her curls to bounce.

Margaret let out a small laugh. "Yeah, you're right. I can't, but that's half the fun."

Sirius chuckled, wrapping his arms around her shoulder. "I always knew I liked you for a reason. Would you like me to pour you a shot, love?"

Margaret grinned eagerly and opened her mouth to respond before Lily interrupted. "Let's at least eat first before we start getting plastered," she suggested in a tone that made it clear that it wasn't up for debate. Margaret formed her perfect lips into a pout but she didn't argue any further.

A third knock on the door sounded through the room. "That must be Peter," James announced, heading towards the door. He opened the door to in fact reveal the shorter man. Peter walked in, looking a nervous wreck and removing his cloak.

"Hey, lot," he squeaked, handing his cloak to James who had outstretched his hand to take the article. Everyone greeted the newcomer. He reddened a little when Margaret gave him a knowing smile after catching him staring at her ample cleavage.

"Did you get everything taken care of?" Lily asked as she led everyone to the kitchen now that they were all there.

"Y-yeah," Peter stuttered, shifted awkwardly. Lily felt sorry for the nervous man. Even at eighteen his voice still sounded like he was going through puberty.

"Is everything all right, Wormtail?" Sirius asked, noticing his friend's uneasiness.

"Yeah, fine," Peter said. "Everything smells delicious, Lily," he commented, quickly changing the subject as the others took their seats at the table.

"Thanks," Lily said, grabbing a pot to carry over to the table. She felt strong hands cover her own and glanced up at James.

"Let me get that," he insisted. "You've been cooking all day. Go sit down." Lily contemplated arguing with him but the determined look in his eyes made it clear that any debate would be futile. She thanked him before making her way to join her friends at the table.

James carried the few pots over to the table. Lily had made a turkey, dressing, rolls and sweet potatoes. Lily made to stand up but James placed his hand on her shoulder. "What do we need?"

Lily let out a sigh of aggravation but she was extremely grateful that James was being so considerate. She had just never been one to sit back and let others do all the work. Sometimes she was to too damn stubborn for her own good. "Butter, for the rolls," she answered.

"I'm on it," James said, walking over to the fridge. He came back with a tub of butter and set it in the middle of the table.

Light conversation filled the room as everyone made their plates, commenting on how good everything looked and smelled. Lily thanked everyone graciously. The sound of clinking forks and speaking swirled around in the air. Lily grinned at everyone. She was so grateful to have all her friends here with her. She knew a lot of people weren't so lucky on this Holiday. She watched everyone converse and eat for a minute before piling food onto her own plate and began digging in. A few minutes later, Lily heard the sound of a scooting chair. She glanced up to see Sirius standing from his seat. After no more than two steps, he was standing before her cabinets.

"Where are your shot glasses, Lil?" he asked, opening a cabinet.

Lily rolled her eyes. "What happened to waiting until after dinner?" she asked.

"Oh, c'mon, it's not going to kill anyone to have a shot or two in the middle of dinner," he answered easily, still going through the cabinets.

Lily let out a sigh before opening her mouth to speak. "Second cabinet on the left. They should be on the top shelf."

"Aha," Sirius exclaimed, finding the goods. He grabbed a half dozen shot glasses from the cabinet, expertly carrying them back to the table without dropping a single one. "I didn't think you would have so many."

Lily shrugged, stabbing enough sweet potatoes with her fork for a bite. "Dad collected them. He left half to me and half to Petunia."

Sirius merely nodded as he grabbed the bottle of Firewhiskey off the counter after setting the shot glasses on the table. He skillfully filled the glasses before distributing them to his friends. Lily pushed her glass towards James. "You can have mine, I don't want it."

Sirius rolled his eyes. "One shot isn't going to kill you, Lily," he told her, exasperated. The others followed suit with "Yeah, c'mon Lily," and the likes. "Lily. Lily. Lily," Sirius began chanting and the others quickly began chanting her name as well.

"Fine!" Lily bellowed, rolling her eyes as she grabbed the shot glass with more force than was needed and spilling a few drops in the process. "But we are _not _playing Truth or Dare later!" she demanded with one last feeble attempt to gain some control over the situation. She sniffed at the drink and recoiled. "Merlin this stuff is rancid. I don't see how anyone can drink it."

"It won't be that bad," Sirius assured before raising his shot glass. "To having wonderful friends here with me on this Christmas Day," he announced.

Everyone raised their shots and the sound of clinking glass and "Cheers" filled the small kitchen. Everyone downed their shots, including Lily who immediately afterwards looked like she was going to puke. She grabbed her champagne, taking large gulps and breathing through her nose. "Oh, I forgot how much it burns," she said, grimacing.

"That was delicious!" Margaret said, obviously already starting to feel the effects of the strong alcohol. "Can I have another one, Sirius?"

"Of course!" Sirius answered enthusiastically before grabbing the bottle and taking her shot glass from her. "Anyone else want another?" The others all declined with "No thank you," and "I should probably pace myself." Sirius shrugged, unaffected. "More for us then," he said, refilling the shot glasses. With a clink and wink Sirius and Margaret threw back their second shots. Margaret fell into a fit of giggles shortly afterwards.

"Another please," she said, trying to push her glass towards Sirius and knocking it over in the process. She didn't notice Lily's horrified look as she saw the shot glass roll dangerously close to the edge before Sirius caught it.

"Maybe we should finish eating first and then we can have some more. We do have to save some for the others," Sirius told her.

Margaret giggled, "Okay, Sir'us," she chuckled. "Sir'us," she attempted to say his name again, laughing even harder. "Seer-ee-us," she tried a third time, succeeding finally and looking quite proud of herself.

Lily pinched the bridge of her nose. She had known letting her friend drink Wizard alcohol had been a bad idea. She didn't worry over it too much, what was done was done and she could hopefully her friend could get enough food in her belly to soak up some of the drink.

OooOooO

"Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world!" Margaret and Lily belted, with as much ease as two drunk girls can muster. Lily had been coaxed into two more shots. Dinner had ended a half our ago and James and Remus had cleared the dinner plates and pots and pans but the six friends remained seated around the enchanted table. The Journey song had come on the radio and the girls had stopped mid-conversation, looked at each other, squealed, declared their love for the song and began belting out the lyrics. "She took the midni—" just then Lily hiccupped causing the two girls to halt their singing and burst into a fit of giggles. While the two were distracted, Sirius made quick work of pouring him and the other guys another shot.

Margaret noticed Sirius setting down his shot glass and protested. "Hey! You have to share! Me and Lily want more," she said, picking up her own glass and waving it around. "Hit me, Siri!" She had altogether given up on trying to pronounce his name drunk and taken to giving him a nickname that was easier to roll off her intoxicated tongue.

"I've got to pee!" Lily announced loudly, saving Sirius the job of denying the girls another shot. "Come with me, Mar." She stood unsteadily from her chair and grabbed Margaret's hand, tugging. The black-haired girl had lost her balance, toppling to the floor and bringing her best friend with her. The two girls laid in a heap on the linoleum, laughing as if it was the funniest thing in the world. The guys all watched, amused, as they pulled themselves up after a few unsuccessful tries.

They were halfway into the living room when Margaret turned her head. "I want that shot when I get back," she demanded. Sirius only nodded his head.

After much more time than was needed to reach the room, Lily and Margaret stepped into a loo. Lily stumbled over to the toilet while Margaret checked her make up in the mirror. The two made quick work in the bathroom, well as quick as two plastered girls could get in and out of the bathroom. When they walked back into the kitchen, a rather amusing sight greeted them. Sirius was leaning towards James, obviously having started feeling the effects of the alcohol. "You're my best mate, mate," Sirius told him. "I love you and Remus and Peter. You are the best friends a bloke like me could ask for."

The two girls giggled as James patted his best friend on the head. Remus was helping himself to a second piece of pie and Peter had taken to the love seat to go to sleep. The guys all looked up to see the two girls entering the kitchen.

"I have your shots ready!" Sirius announced, motioning to two full shot glasses.

"Awesome!" Margaret said, executing some drunken jogging to make her way over to the table. Sirius grabbed her arm and tugged her to him as she giggled, landing in his lap rather unceremoniously. She pushed her black hair from her face as she grabbed the shot glass.

James gave Lily the same treatment, pulling her into his lap. Though he did it with more grace than the other couple and helped slowly guide her into a sitting position. Lily grabbed her shot glass, raising it and trying to think of what to toast to. She brightened with an idea after hearing the song that was playing on the radio. "To The Rolling Stones, because Keith Richards is so gorgeous!"

"That he is!" Margaret agreed enthusiastically, smacking her shot glass against Lily's.

After another hour or so, the others were all settling down for the night. James had conjured two cots: one for Remus and one for Sirius and Margaret, who had insisted they didn't mind sharing. The others were getting settled into their cots as Lily and James headed for the bedroom.

"Carry me, James," Lily requested. "I always loved when you carried me."

James chuckled but happily obliged, picking Lily up princess style.

Sirius and Margaret rustled around under the covers, getting comfortable. Margaret snuggled up against Sirius, resting her head and hand on his chest. The sound of the other two boys snoring had already filled the room. Margaret glanced up, her eyes meeting Sirius'. The moonlight was washing over his face, making him look even hotter than usual. She climbed up his body a bit, placing a kiss on his cheek. He glanced down at her, his grey eyes glazed over with intoxication. He tightened an arm around her and planted a kiss on her lips. She happily returned it, opening her mouth to his as his tongue darted into her crevice. After a little work, Margaret was pinned beneath Sirius. She made quick work of unbuttoning his shirt, reveling in the feel of his muscles.

Sirius roughly pulled her dress down, revealing a milky breast. He tugged and massaged it with skill, causing a small moan to pass through Margaret's lips. She hastily pushed his shirt off his shoulders, leaving him lying half naked on top of her. Their lips never broke contact as Sirius pulled her dress up, bunching it around her stomach. His hands idly played with her knickers before sliding them down and sliding a finger into her moist center. Margaret bucked her hips beneath him and fought back her moan.

Sirius tore his lips from hers as he pulled the dress over her head. He took one quick glance at her body as the moonlight danced across it before bringing his lips to her neck. Margaret's hands drifted down to Sirius' slacks, undoing his belt and unbuttoning his trousers. Sirius kicked them off before removing his boxers.

Sirius pressed his lips to Margaret's once again before plunging into her. Their movements were quick and unsteady. Margaret raked her fingers up his back, earning a pleasant hiss from Sirius. When they peaked, Margaret bit his shoulder to muffle her scream of ecstasy. After coming down from their orgasms, Sirius handed Margaret her panties and his shirt before slipping into his boxers. Margaret didn't bother buttoning up his shirt instead settling back into his chest and drifting off to sleep.


	5. Chapter Five

_Okay, you all are going to hate me. This chapter is like four pages shorter than all the others, but I hit a rut. Like it was to the point where I was about to pull my hair out because it was THAT HARD to come up with something else to write. Work has been crazy and I've barely had anytime to write. Got my sister's baby shower tomorrow. WOOT WOOT! So anyway, sorry for the short chapter. _

_Thanks **Elyse **for the review. I know you told me what you thought, but I'm a review whore. xDD Thanks so much for the insight and I love you :D_

_Also, thanks for the review **LilyHeartsJames **for the review :) I'm glad you are enjoying the story. _

Chapter Five

Lily Evans woke up feeling the opposite of what she had the day before. Her head was pounding and she felt nauseous. Also, she didn't wake up wrapped around James. She had felt him get out of bed some time before. The sun shining into her room, something she usually welcomed, assaulted her sensitive eyes before she had even opened her eyelids. She laid there for a few seconds, willing this horrible feeling to pass. _I'm never drinking again _she vowed, before accepting the fact that she was hung over and would probably be so for the rest of the day. She clambered out of bed, doing her best to ignore the nausea and not throw up on her carpet as her stomach churned at the movement. She kept her eyes squinted until she made her way to her blissfully windowless hallway.

She reached her den and was happy to see that somebody had already closed all the blinds in the living room and kitchen, keeping the two rooms dim, for which she was grateful. She found James and Remus sitting at the kitchen table, which had been transfigured back to its original size. James was rather unsuccessful at keeping the smile off his face. There had always been something so ironic about seeing Lily hung over. He didn't think her being in such discomfort was funny, as hang overs were a bitch, but the irony of the situation was oddly amusing to him.

"How you feeling?" he asked, failing to keep the amusement from his voice. She looked a mess. Her usually well maintained red hair look like a bird had spent the night in it. She was wearing boy shorts and a tank top. James had changed her out of her dress the night before upon her asking as she was too drunk to complete the movements herself.

Lily responded by raising her middle finger at him but still completed her journey to the table and settled herself in James' lap. Remus immediately stood to get Lily a cup of juice. James chuckled as he ran his fingers through her disastrous mane, trying to get it to look halfway decent as Lily rested her head on his shoulders.

"I'm going to murder Black," Lily said, accepting the glass Remus was holding out for her. "Thanks, Remus." She took a sip of the juice before returning her head to James' shoulder. She bolted up into a sitting position, suddenly alert. "Oh no."

James made quick work of grabbing his wand off the table. "_Accio bowl_." A plastic bowl came flying towards him out one of the cabinets and he handed it to Lily. She immediately began retching as he gathered her hair and patted her back. As she set the item on the table, James handed her the glass of juice. "Here, take a drink," he instructed. He took the banana Remus handed him. "You might want to eat this too. It'll put something in your belly."

Lily thanked him before taking the banana and peeling it. The three sat in silence while Lily ate her breakfast and focused on not puking it back up. James had cleared out the contents of the bowl with a flick of his wand.

"Where's Peter?" Lily asked.

Remus shrugged. "He was gone when I got up this morning."

A small rustling noise came from the living room and the others all glanced to see a shirtless Sirius sitting up. He looked down at Margaret sleeping beside him. "Shit," he muttered.

"Black, why is my best friend wearing your shirt?" Lily asked, resting her head in her hands. She wasn't feeling exactly friend towards James' best mate this morning.

Sirius ran a hand through his long black hair. "Err…I guess we shagged last night. I don't even remember it."

Lily shook her head and then cringed at the pain the movement caused. "I told you the Firewhiskey was a bad idea." Sirius decided not to comment as he stood from the cot. Margaret mumbled something in her sleep and rolled over onto her back, causing her shirt to fall open. Sirius bent down and buttoned it up a little before sauntering into the kitchen with an arrogance about him that only Sirius Black could accomplish. Lily noted the eight vertical scratches on his back and the bite mark on his shoulder. "Honestly, Black," she began, rolling her emerald eyes. "Can't you do something about those scratches? You look like you were attacked last night."

Sirius merely shrugged as he set the mug on the counter and grabbed the pot of coffee. "They don't bother me." Very rarely did Sirius remove evidence of sex from himself using magic. He was rather proud of these injuries and opted to just let them go away on their own. Though he wasn't about to tell all of this to Lily. She was already pissed at him as it was. He made his way to sit down at the table before Lily protested.

"Can you at least put some trousers on?"

Sirius just smiled at her before heading back into the living room. "Rather testy this morning, are we, Lils?" His nonchalance only fueled Lily's annoyance.

"Well, some asshole decided it was a good idea to bring Firewhiskey to my Christmas dinner and get everyone drunk," the redhead retorted.

"Not everyone got drunk," Sirius commented, reaching down to pick up his trousers. "Remus, James and Peter weren't drunk. So technically only half of us got drunk."

"Why is everyone yelling?" Margaret asked, curling up into a ball and burying her head into the pillow.

Sirius glanced down at her as he slipped into his trousers. She had turned to towards Sirius at the sound of his voice. Her eyes were slowly revealing themselves. "We aren't yelling, sweetie, you're just hung over."

"I feel like death," she commented. Suddenly something seemed to register with her. She glanced down at the shirt she was wearing and up at Sirius, her eyes catching the bite mark on his shoulder. She moved her gaze to Sirius' face. Her countenance turned into one of realization. "Did we…"

Sirius nodded, easily replying with "Yeah, we did."

Margaret pushed her hair out of her face. "Oh well, I suppose it was bound to happen sooner or later. I don't remember it, do you?"

"Not really," Sirius told her.

Her eyes drifted back to the teeth mark. "At least I seemed to enjoy it," she said groggily. Sirius chuckled slightly. Margaret held out her hand. "Still friends?"

"Of course, love," Sirius told her, shaking her hand and leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Good," Margaret said with a small nod of her head. She stood to her feet and stumbled slightly. Sirius caught her, steadying her. "Thanks, now if you'll excuse me, I need to go throw up."

Sirius watched her make slow progress down the hall before heading back to the kitchen and taking a seat. He picked up his mug of steaming coffee, sipping at it. The four made light conversation as Lily periodically threw glares at Sirius and Remus made a glass of juice for the other girl. Margaret came stumbling into the kitchen.

"Why don't you have any bloody Aspirin, Lily?" she asked grumpily.

"I'm a Witch," Lily answered coolly, taking no offense to her friend's harsh tone. "I don't need Aspirin to take away my pain."

"No matter," Margaret sighed, walking over to the counter. "I always keep some in my handbag." She rummaged through the bag before finding what she needed. She spotted the juice on the table and used it to wash down the pill before sitting down at the table. She glanced over at Sirius, who was happily sipping on his coffee and chatting with Remus. "Why aren't you hung over?"

Sirius shrugged slightly. "I don't get hang overs. I never have."

"Lucky bastard," she grumbled, before taking another drink of her juice. "Ugh, Mum's going to pitch a fit when she sees me like this. She's going to go on about how it's not lady like to be hung over and that I should be more careful about upholding my image and that a lady never drinks anything more than a civilized glass of wine or champagne." Margaret rolled her eyes at her prediction.

"You lot can hang out here today," Lily offered, standing up as James patted her thigh to indicated he wanted her to move. She watched as he made his way to grab the juice and smiled gratefully at him. "If you don't have any plans, that is. I like having people over; this place gets lonely sometimes. I miss being surrounded by a bunch of people on a daily basis."

With nods and "Yeahs" everyone agreed to spend the day at Lily's apartment. The group spent the whole day lazing around Lily's living room. They had turned the cots into another couch and a chair. It was a nice day. They reminisced about their days at Hogwarts. They talked about the war and the Order. Lily and Margaret nursed their hang overs as the boys did their best to take care of them and make them comfortable, all the while holding back their chuckles at how pathetic the two girls were. No one could remember they had all spent a whole day together since Graduation. Everything had been so hectic with the Order and Voldemort. And Margaret finally got to experience what it felt like to spend a whole day with the group. The others did their best to try and include them in their conversations and she even shared a few stories of her own.

OooOooO

"This is nice," Lily said, playing with James' hands. Everyone had left a while ago and the two had decided the bed was calling their names. Lily was feeling one hundred percent better, for which she was grateful. The two were in Lily's bed, clad in their pajamas. James was lying behind Lily and she had her body resting against his.

James nodded in agreement. "It is," he told her, pressing a kiss to her near bare shoulder. "I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Me too," Lily said, fidgeting a little in order to get comfortable. "Sirius is a right git for not having hang overs. It's usually him that initiates the drinking. And don't think I didn't notice that little smirk you gave me when I got up this morning. I was hung over, not blind."

James chuckled. "I'm sorry, love. You're just so cute when you're hung over."

"Yeah, well I didn't feel cute," Lily said, trying to contort her face into a glare before remembering James couldn't see her expression.

James chuckled as if he could read her mind. He squeezed his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He snuck his hand up her shirt, earning a gasp from her. He held her firmly in place as she tried to turn to face him. "Uh uh," he told her, pressing his lips to her neck. Lily purred appreciatively. She allowed James to massage her milky breast, relishing in the wonderful feeling and loving the way it spread warm liquid through her belly and in between her legs. It was truly amazing the way James could affect her with a single touch.

He moved his hand to the other breast, pinching the nipple slightly as he swirled his tongue around her porcelain skin, ever so gently pressing his teeth to the spot. Lily giggled and shuddered at the same time. "Are we feeling rough tonight?"

James nodded, his hair brushing against her neck. "A little."

"Hmmm," Lily hummed thoughtfully. It had been a while since James had been rough with her. Only once before had he not treated her like the finest China that could easily shatter. Their last connection at Hogwarts had been harsh and hurried. That time had not been out of love but out of desperation and a fight for control. Lily had been afraid of the dark look in James' eyes. While she remembered liking the thrill of the sex, there was something in the back of her head telling her it wasn't right.

This time though, she wouldn't be afraid. This time, she knew James was only trying to spice things up and relieve an urge to do something new, he wasn't trying to prove anything or get back what he had lost. A wicked grin spread across Lily's face as she forcefully removed James' hand from her. She rolled over to face him before pushing him onto his back and straddling him.

"Well then, Mr. Potter," she began in a sexy, silky tone as she pulled her shirt slowly over her head, fighting to keep in character as James' eyes widened, "I am at your mercy."

She had barely released her grip on her shirt as James flipped her over causing a giggle to emit from her lips. James raised her hands above her head and stopped his progress to her lips, pulling back a little to meet her eyes. "If I do anything you don't want me to, tell me to stop. Do you understand me?" he demanded forcefully.

Lily nodded. "Yeah."

James returned her nod, content. He released her hands and grabbed his wand off the table, muttering a spell and Lily felt invisible bonds tie her to the headboard. She jerked on them a few times to show James that they were affective and that she wasn't going anywhere. A mischievous glint shone in James' hazel eyes. He stared down at the half naked, bound redhead, smiling with appreciation. He wasn't sure where this was coming from. Usually he had no qualms about being as soft and gentle as Lily needed, but tonight, he wanted to dominate, and maybe, when he was finished with her, be dominated. James' lips perked into a smile. Yes, he would much like for Lily to take control and do as she pleased with him.

He interrupted her question of why he was smiling by crashing his lips to her, his hands assaulting her breasts while his tongue raged war with her own. He pulled away and smiled down at her.

"Now, the rules," he began, a finger drawing lazy circles around her nipple. "You do _exactly _as I say. If I say be quiet, that means don't make a peep." He could feel his manhood growing at the interaction. Lily herself was feeling rather aroused as well. "If I say hold still, you don't move a muscle. Understand?"

Lily nodded her head and James reached up and pulled hair forcefully, causing her to yelp a little. But she didn't tell him to stop. She didn't want him to stop. Lily had never been dominated like this and it was thrilling and hot. She knew she could make it stop at any moment, which meant she was actually the one in control, and that was a very appealing thought.

"I didn't tell you to nod," James growled at her.

Lily almost opened her mouth to apologize before stopping herself. James studied her, waiting for her to speak, but when she didn't he smiled proudly at her. "Good girl," he commended. "You were always a fast learner, Lily." He released his grip on her hair and made his way down her body, pressing kisses to her warm skin, grinning as he felt her fight not to move. Lily had always been a very active lover. Moving her hips and moaning with pleasure. It was nearly killing her staying this still and quiet and James loved that he had this control over her. Also, he was surprised that she had lasted this long. James grinned down at her as he slipped a finger underneath her soaked panties. Lily bit her bottom lip to keep from moving or making a sound. James fought back his own chuckle.

"Moan for me, baby," he told her, more out of fear that her head might explode soon if she didn't. Lily obliged immediately, throwing her head back and letting out throaty moans as James continued to stroke her. Just as she was about to reach her climax, James pulled his finger out of her. Lily whimpered slightly. James instructed her to stay still and quiet as he pulled her panties down her legs. James slipped out of his own boxers. He saw Lily eye him and fight back a smile.

Grabbing her hips, he positioned himself at her center, instructing her once again to remain still. She did as she was told but James kept a firm grip on her hips anyway. After a few minutes of harsh pumping, James pushed them both to their climax. He yanked on Lily's hair to remind her to remain still and quiet. Lily whimpered slightly though didn't make any other noise. Once their bodies collapsed from exhaustion, James released his grip of her hair. He picked up his wand and swished it at Lily's wrist but she kept her hands in the same position.

"That was mean," she told him, a grin playing at her lips.

James turned his head to smile at her. The redhead was supporting his entire weight. "I had fun," he replied with an evil smile.

"Well as long as you had fun," Lily responded, a hint of sarcasm lacing the words. "Now, if you would kindly get off me, I need sleep."

With a chuckle, James happily obliged, rolling onto his back and pulling Lily to him. She snuggled up against his chest and threw her leg over his waist. James reached up his hand and ran his fingers through her hair.

It was the perfect moment for the two lovers. They still hadn't officially started dating again but they were boyfriend and girlfriend for all intents and purposes. James thought about this as he heard Lily's breathing become slow and steady. Why hadn't either of them made things official? He wondered. Maybe it was because they had a good thing going and neither of them wanted to ruin it by putting labels on it. Maybe it felt like they were a couple so much that neither felt the need to finalize it. He didn't know why they hadn't discussed their relationship and decided to instead cherish the time he had with Lily as he closed his eyes and drifted into his own peaceful sleep.


	6. Chapter Six

_Hi everyone. So um, this is the last chapter of this story. I know it's a little premature but I was about halfway through the chapter when I realized I was two weeks away in the story from where I wanted it to end with no other plot lines. This is the also the end of my Harry Potter FF career. I have been writing FanFic for the past seven years and I'm sincerely going to miss writing Lily and the Marauders but I need to focus on my original works so that you can all read my published book :P I'm taking it okay I suppose. I would like to take this chance to extend my thanks to ALL of my readers, those of this story and my others. Thank you to those who have been there for me through this all. You all are the reason I have the confidence to pursue publishing my original works. _

_Thanks to _**LilyHeartsJames **_for taking the time to review my last chapter. I understand that school started back up for a bunch of you (I'm a loser and skipping school xD But who needs school when you have skills like that :P JK) I do appreciate all of you reading my stories. Also, a big thanks to everyone who adds my stories to their favorites and those who add me to their Favorite Author lists. That means more than you all know. _

Chapter Six

"James!" Lily laughed. She squealed in delight. "James, put me down!" Lily had emerged from the bathroom wrapped in a towel. She was looking behind her as she closed the door when James picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. Lily began kicking as water droplets fell from her hair and landed on James' bare back. James carried her wordlessly to the bedroom, ignoring the naked redhead's pleas. "We have to get ready to go to Margaret's parents. We are already running late because _somebody _insisted we save time and shower together…which actually took up more time," she added as James tossed her unceremoniously on the bed. James' lips perked up into a smirk as he remembered the love he and Lily had made in the shower. He pictured the woman pinned between him and the shower wall while her wet hair matted around her face.

"What's this all about?" Lily asked, looking up at him confused as the towel opened up.

James tore his eyes away from her beautiful body and looked into her eyes. "I bought you something," he answered.

Lily's emerald eyes widened in surprise. "James, you didn't have to do that."

"I know I didn't have to, but you were fretting over what to wear tonight, so I decided to be of assistance…with Margaret's help of course." Normally, Lily wouldn't put a lot of thought into what she would wear when going to Margaret's parent's house, but this was a special occasion. It was New Year's Eve and Margaret's parents had invited Lily and James to come to their annual party. It was the first time since Lily was a little girl that she had attended. When the girls had turned thirteen, their parents had all agreed that they were old enough to stay at Lily's house alone instead of being subjected to the boring, in Lily and Margaret's words, party. "Look over on your mirror," James instructed.

Lily turned her gaze to her full size mirror and let out a gasp. On a hanger was the most beautiful dress Lily had ever seen in her life. With a single glance, she could already tell that the azure blue of the gown would match her hair and eyes perfectly. The bottom of the dress reached the floor, getting a few shades lighter as it went. At the top of the dress were what looked to be a million little jewels that made a circle around the cleavage and to the middle of her torso then would wind around her neck and separated into two straps. It was absolutely perfect for the occasion at hand and Lily was unable to express her gratitude beyond the wide, appreciative grin that spread across her face.

James studied her for a minute, pleased with himself. Sure, Margaret had gone with him, but he had taken one look at the dress, commenting that it screamed Lily and the girl's best friend had agreed. "Do you like it?" he asked, needing to hear her confirmation.

Lily finally tore her eyes away from the dress and looked at him, her eyes still wide. "It's the most amazing thing I have ever seen. I didn't even know they made dresses that beautiful."

James allowed himself to grin, satisfied with his lover's reaction. "I have two conditions under which you can wear it tonight," he told her. Lily glanced up at, looking confused and eyeing him wearily. "One, you have to do your hair and make-up like you did for Christmas." Lily nodded, okay that one was easy enough. James' lips formed into a mischievous grin. "Second, is you can't wear anything else under it. Not even knickers," he added quickly when Lily opened her mouth to speak.

Lily studied James for a few moments, contemplating these terms. Finally she nodded. She really wanted to wear that dress and decided that going commando wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. "Deal, but I have one condition of my own," she told him.

"And that would be?"

"You have to finish getting ready and go sit in the living room," she told him. "We are already running late because of your hormones and I can't get ready when you look at me like you want to eat me."

James chuckled. "But you're so delicious." Lily attempted to hide her smile with a glare, just barely managing. "Okay, okay," James agreed. "I just need to grab my shirt and I'll go to the den."

"Thank you," Lily said, standing to make her way to James. She pressed her nearly dry, naked body to his and kissed him on the lips.

He pulled away from the lip-lock and looked down at her. "You're truly evil."

She merely smirked at him. "Me?" she repeated. "You're the one who won't let me wear panties."

James cupped her bare bum, leaning close to her ear. "You'll live, love."

Lily felt a shiver run down her spine. It was amazing how the two affected each other. And they were always mercilessly teasing the other, fully aware of the effects it had. After another kiss, Lily grabbed James' shirt off the bed and pushed it towards his chest, telling him to go on. James merely smiled at her before obliging. Lily watched him walk from the room before glancing over at the dress. She nearly ran over to it, running her hands over the soft material. She let out a small squeal as her fingers danced across the jewels. Grabbing the dress she carried it to the bathroom to begin getting ready. She stood in front of the mirror, naked as she put on her make-up. She slipped into the dress before doing her hair. After heading back into the bedroom to slip on some shoes, she made her way into the living room.

James' breath hitched in his throat when he took in the sight of the redhead. She was absolutely stunning, just as he knew she would be in the dress. When he stood and walked to her, attempting to press a kiss to her freshly glossed lips, she pushed him back. "We're late," she told him.

"Fashionably late," he corrected her. "Only the losers show up on time."

Lily gave him a smile that clearly told him he was wrong. "Try telling that to Margaret's mum," she suggested.

James shook his head firmly. "No thank you," he said. "That woman scares me. Does she ever relax?"

Lily laughed. "No. That's all part of who she is. You should've seen her the time Margaret and I borrowed her car. She was trying so hard to maintain her composure and not yell at Mar in front of me. I thought she was going to explode. It was actually pretty hilarious."

James was more interested in another fact in that little story, though. "You took someone's car without permission?"

Lily shook her head. "Actually, it was Margaret. She picked me up when I was on Christmas Vacation to go to a party. I wasn't exactly aware that she wasn't supposed to have the car until we were on our way back to the house. Elizabeth had already said that I could spend the night and wasn't about to go back on her promise as that would be against her nature."

James laughed. "Sounds like she needs a night of letting her hair down."

"A night?" Lily repeated. "More like a whole century of it to make up for the time wasted."

James chuckled and the two of them Apparated out of her apartment after putting on their jackets. They ended up a few blocks away from Margaret's parent's house so that no one saw them. Lily bent down to take off her shoes.

"Hop on," James told her.

Lily glanced up at him, amusement dancing in her emerald eyes. "Pardon?"

"I'll give you a piggy back ride to the house. You can't very well walk three blocks in those shoes, I know how clumsy you are, and if you walk without shoes, your feet will get dirty."

Lily grabbed her shoes in her hands and gathered her dressed around her mid-thigh as James squatted down in front of her. Lily climbed onto his back, giggling all the while. When Lily was situated, James straightened up and started walking. Lily draped her arms around his neck, careful not to put too much pressure. After a half a block, Lily let out a wistful sigh.

"What's wrong?" James asked, taking it as a sound of distress.

"Nothing," Lily told him. "It's just…it's amazing how you can make me feel like I'm ten again."

James chuckled. "I would make you feel whatever age you wanted to feel, Lily."

Lily smiled to herself as they fell into silence once more. She rested her chin on his shoulder and he looked over at her, giving her a smile before turning his attention back to the sidewalk in front of him. In a few minutes time, they arrived at the huge house. A dozen or more cars were parked in front of the house. James set Lily down in the grass, smiling at a few people making their way to the house. He stood still while Lily leaned against him, putting on her shoes. Once she was standing up right again, he wrapped his arm around her and the two of them headed to house. Only one other person was outside with them: A tall man smoking a cigarette. The man dropped the fag on the ground, stomping it out before bending down to pick it up. He pocketed the butt when he turned and nearly bumped into Lily.

"My apologies, miss," he said. Suddenly, he stopped and studied her face. Lily did the same. It was Margaret's Uncle Samuel. He looked a lot like Elizabeth, he had the same eyes and the same color hair though his was short. He had aged since Lily had last seen him. He was a few years younger than Elizabeth though he too looked like he was ten years younger than he actually was. Suddenly, recognition flared up in his blue eyes. "Lily?"

Lily smiled at older man. "Hello, Samuel."

"Holy shite, you grew!" he bellowed, chuckling. "The last time I saw you, you were just a wee little thing."

Lily smiled graciously. She had always loved Samuel. He was the total opposite of his older sister. Lily suspected that the only reason Elizabeth even invited him was because he was Matthew's best friend, though the two only saw each other a few times a year. Elizabeth didn't invite him over more than she had to.

"So did you," Lily replied, smiling. "I see that one thing hasn't changed though," she added, eyeing the pocket that held what was left of the cigarette.

"I can't seem to quit the damn things. And my dear sister, Elizabeth still refuses to let me smoke in the house. She'd much rather make stand out here in the in the cold and freeze off my bollocks. Enough about that though," he rambled, pulling Lily into a hug.

When the two pulled from the embrace, Lily motioned to James. "This is my friend, James."

Samuel turned his attention to the young man. "It's a pleasure to meet you, lad," he said, holding his hand out for James to shake. "How do you two know each other?"

"We went to school together," Lily replied easily.

"Ah, well I'm Elizabeth's younger brother. I don't know if you'd had the pleasure of meeting her yet but I assure you, we are as different as two siblings can be."

James chuckled. "I have met her, and I can't say I'm disappointed to hear that."

Samuel smiled. "I love my sister dearly, and I know she means well, but sometimes I think the best thing she could do for herself is to pull that stick out of her arse. Let's head inside before we all freeze to death."

The three stepped into the warm house where William was waiting to take their coats. James and Lily exchanged their hellos with William before making their way further in the house. The trio walked into the crowded den. Soft music was coming from the stereo in the corner. Light, polite chatter filled the large room. Lily took a look around at all the people in their dresses and suits. It was exactly like she remembered as a child, only everyone was older. She ran through a mental list of everyone she remembered. She heard a small squeal behind her and was engulfed in a hug before she was turned around and had time to register who was there. Though she would recognize that squeal anywhere.

Margaret let go of her best friend, placing her hands on her small shoulders and pushing her back slightly. Lily cringed slightly as Margaret gave her a once over, starting at her face and slowly working her way down the dress. Finally, with a satisfied smile, the girl released her best friend.

"James did an excellent job of picking out a dress. It's like he just _knew _what would look good on you."

James grinned broadly beside the two girls, obviously pleased with himself. "I don't know anything about fashion, but I do know Lily."

Margaret grinned widely, a bit of mischief tugging at the edge of the smile. "That you do."

Lily pushed her friend playfully. "You're sick, Mar!"

Margaret laughed her beautiful laugh. "You know it's true."

"Yeah, ye—" Lily was cut off by the sound of her own name.

"Is that you?" Lily spun on her heel to see a woman around Elizabeth's age studying her. Lily recognized her as Elizabeth's friend but couldn't quite remember her name. She thought it was Mae or Molly but couldn't be sure. "Wow, you're so grown up. For a second I thought you were your mother. You look so much like Penny." Lily blushed at the compliment. "Oh how rude of me, you probably don't have a clue who I am. I'm Mae." So Lily was right.

"Of course!" Lily said. "How have you been?"

The scene was like the one outside with Margaret's uncle though with a lot less swearing. Lily introduced James and when asked what he did for a living, he told them he was a cop, just like he and Lily had practiced. The same scene with different dialogue played itself out over the next half hour as Lily was recognized by Elizabeth and Matthew's family and friends. Lily and James were standing in the kitchen when Samuel came up to them.

He held out a drink for Lily and James each. "Now I can't get in trouble for giving this to you," he said with a chuckle. One year, Samuel had snuck wine to the girls, causing them to get a little tipsy. Elizabeth and Penny had been furious though the Dad's both thought it was funny. James took his drink, sipping at it, unaffected by the taste as it was merely Muggle Alcohol. Lily declined with a wave of her hand.

"No thank you, Samuel, my stomach's feeling kind of wonky today," she told him, pressing a hand to her belly for emphasis.

James' attention immediately turned to Lily. "Are you okay?"

Lily smiled warmly at him. He was always so worried about her health. She had thrown up last week and he was by her side immediately. He felt her forehead and made her go lie down. Despite telling him that she felt fine, he demanded that she lie in bed while he went and made her some soup. Only a few hours after concluding that she was done throwing up and didn't have a fever did he let her get up and move around. It was really sweet and Lily had fallen even more for him in that moment.

"I'm fine," Lily insisted. "My stomach's just been acting up a little lately. I think it's just the weather or something. I'm sure it's nothing. I feel fine really."

James studied her for a few moments, debating on whether to take her home right away and put her to bed. After much thought, he decided that there was no reason to ruin their night and nodded at her.

"No worries," Samuel said. "I'll go get you some Ginger Ale."

Lily thanked him as he made his way over to the icebox. Margaret joined them as Samuel was bringing Lily a glass. He glanced over at his niece, pulling her into a side hug.

"So where's your beau?" he asked. "Surely any young man would've liked to accompany a bird such as yourself to a night of good people and good alcohol."

Lily smiled at the two. It was truly amazing to watch Margaret and her Uncle Samuel interact. It was almost as if they were same person, just different genders and with twenty years of age in between them. Lily knew the answer to the man's question. Margaret, for all the flirting she did and all the "boyfriends" she had, never had a date to these things. It was too much work and she much preferred to spend time with her family instead of having to entertain a gentleman friend. Also, she never got attached enough to any of them to bring them home.

Margaret gave a dismissive wave of her hand. "I prefer to fly solo to these things."

Samuel let out a laugh. "If you don't be careful, you're going to be my age and still not married. Then your mother will nag you just as much as she nags me."

"I only nag because I love." The others glanced over to see Elizabeth standing by the island. She looked stunning in a slimming black dress. Her hair was still up in its bun but was a little looser as tiny ringlets surrounded it. Her make-up was done just so. She looked beautiful as always. "And I have faith that Margaret will have no problem finding a suitable mate. Though she better get on it because I would like to see my grandchildren grow up," she joked politely with a smile.

"You'll have plenty of time for grandchildren, Mum," Margaret replied, fighting to hide the irritation from her voice.

"Yeah, and you know you're going to outlive us all, Liz," Samuel added with a chuckle. He was the only person Elizabeth allowed to not call her by her full name.

Elizabeth smiled her million dollar smile at her younger brother. Though she greatly disapproved of her brother's lifestyle, she was never anything less than civil to him in the presence of company. She turned her attention to Lily and James.

"I do greatly apologize for not being able to greet you two before now. There are a lot of guests here and as host it is my job to say hello to all of them. You two look amazing and I'm so grateful you both could make it."

"We wouldn't miss it for the world," Lily replied, allowing herself to be pulled into a stiff hug.

The five stood there talking for a few more minutes before Elizabeth excused herself. She glanced over at Margaret. "Margaret, dear, I've noticed that that is already your second glass of wine, why don't you hold off for a while."

Margaret rolled her beautiful blue eyes. "Yes, Mum." Once she was out of earshot, Margaret turned to her uncle. "I don't see how you lived with that for your whole life."

Samuel smiled at her. "Your mother wasn't always like this. There was once a time where she would play in the mud with me."

Margaret smiled at the image. "Well, I wish she would go back to that. She's such a stiff. It's rather annoying at times."

The others all laughed, Samuel caught the eye of one his old girlfriends and went over to talk to her. The others all watched him, shaking their heads.

OooOooO

"Five, four," the crowd chanted. It was the countdown for the New Year. Everyone was gathered in the living room, some there a little more than others. Almost everyone had a glass in their hands and a few wore silly hats. Lily felt giddy with excitement as James held her hand. "Three, two, ONE!" Cheers erupted in the room as the couples all shared a kiss and everyone hugged each other.

James leaned his mouth close to Lily's ear. "You are the most beautiful woman on the planet," he whispered. "I love you."

Lily smiled and looked over at him, throwing her arms around his neck before pulling him to her in a passionate kiss. Lily felt her head explode with excitement and emotion. She wasn't sure how she was so lucky to have landed such an amazing guy. James was her entire world and she couldn't picture herself living without him. She felt James' tongue nudge against her lips and happily obliged, allowing him entrance. James fought to keep his hands on her waist and not explore her body as their tongues danced a slow, sweet dance.

Another hour later, everyone was clearing out of the house, Elizabeth and Matthew thanking them all for coming. Lily took off her shoes in the yard and walked a few blocks with James before they Apparated to her apartment.

Once there, James locked the door and turned to Lily, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her to him in a hungry kiss. Lily's hands flew up and made quick work of unbuttoning his shirt as she cupped her breast through the material of the dress. Lily tugged her dress up a little and wrapped her leg around his waist, desperate to feel more of him. He placed his hands under her butt and carried her over to the couch.

Undressing quickly, the two made sweet love there on her couch. Lily fell asleep soon after and James scooped her up and carried her to her bedroom. With much difficulty he managed to get them both under the covers before settling down. Lily rolled over to him, nuzzling her face into his neck.

"Happy New Year, James. I love you."

He looked over at the beautiful redhead and smiled before the two of them drifted off to sleep.

OooOooO

It was two weeks after the New Year's Eve party and Lily and James were out shopping and at their favorite little shop. Well it was Lily's favorite but James happily followed her there. He would follow her to the end of the earth if she asked him to and vice versa.

They heard the small gasp of the cashier before anything else. "It's _them_," the elderly lady whispered to herself, crouching down behind the counter. Her attempts were futile as a green light burst into the air, filling the small shop and causing the old woman to drop. Before the dead cashier had hit the ground, Lily and James had their wands out. They spun around to see five Death Eaters walking further into the room. The one in front was lowering his wand, having just killed the store owner. Lily and James were grateful that they were the only two shoppers left in the store.

They began screaming stunning curses and disarming spells. A second later, the peaceful shop was flashing bright lights as shouted spells and curses filled the room. Lily and James were holding their own. They had already knocked out two of the Death Eaters, leaving them battling only three others, evening the score a little more. James was dueling two Death Eaters at once.

"_Avada Kedavra_," someone shouted and everyone fell silent once more as a bright green light filled the room for the second time.

James immediately turned his attention to Lily. She was standing there, stunned. The spell had barely missed her, thankfully. James threw a Stunning Spell at the person who had thrown the curse at Lily, causing them to drop immediately. "Lily!" he shouted, when the redhead had yet to move. Lily immediately snapped back to attention, looking around shocked. After a second's hesitation she ran. Which was something James had never seen her do in a fight.

"Get the girl!" one of the Death Eaters shouted to the other before throwing a curse at James, which he deflected. The Death Eaters that had been stunned were starting to get up. James threw a disarming spell at the Death Eater he was dueling and made a run for Lily.

Lily threw herself behind the counter, looking over briefly at the dead woman lying next to her. Her wand was raised in front of her, her whole body shaking as a Death Eater carefully walked behind the counter, their wand pointed at her. "Please," she begged, still shaking. Suddenly, recognition hit her as she stared into the Death Eaters eyes. She would know those grey eyes anywhere. It was Regulus Black, Sirius' brother. He seemed to hesitate and suddenly he dropped to the ground.

James grabbed Lily's hand, knowing he couldn't fight the Death Eaters on his own. He didn't know what had gotten into Lily; she had never backed down from a fight. His main concern at the moment though was getting them out of there.

In a second's time, the two were standing in the snow outside of James' flat. Lily immediately fell to the ground, tears flowing from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, James. I don't know what…I just froze…the baby…I couldn't…I'm so sorry."

James dropped to his knees beside her, scooping the redhead up in his lap. "It's okay, Lily. You're fine. That's all that matters. We're both—" suddenly realization hit him. "Baby?" he asked, lifting her face with a finger under her chin.

Lily nodded, tears still streaming from her eyes. "I'm pregnant. I found out last week. That's why I've been so tired and throwing up. I didn't realize that I was missing my period. I've been too busy to pay attention. I'm about three months along. I wanted to tell you the right way but I couldn't figure out how."

James sat there, taking this all in. Lily was pregnant. She was carrying his child. They had created life with their love. It was a lot to process and James was surprised his brain hadn't melted from the wheels turning. His heart swelled with emotion. He loved Lily more in that moment than he had the entire time he'd known her. "Marry me," he said suddenly.

Lily studied him, more tears filling her eyes. "I—what?"

"Marry me," he repeated, determination filling his voice. "I know this isn't the proper way to ask. I don't even have the ring on me."

"You have a ring?" Lily asked, letting out a half laugh half sob.

James nodded as he reached up to wipe a tear from her eye. "I've had it for a few weeks. I was just waiting for the perfect moment to ask you. I know this isn't how you wanted to be proposed to. You deserve a fancy dinner and me on one knee, but I can't wait any longer. I love you. I love our child. I want to marry you, Lily Evans. You are everything to me. You are my life. You are the reason I get up every morning and the reason I'm fighting so hard in this war. I'm not just fighting for justice, I'm fighting for us. I want us to have a chance to grow old together," his hand dropped to her stomach, "a chance to raise lots of babies. Marry me, Lily Evans."

"Yes!" Lily answered, throwing herself on him in a hug, making them land in the snow. "Yes, James, I will marry you."

_THE END_

_Okay, so I realize that Lily getting pregnant is actually happening a year before it was supposed to, but that's the wonderful thing about writing FanFic, you can do pretty much what you want as long as you stick to the integrity of the story, which I hope you all feel I did. THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR SUPPORT! _


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